Introduction to Tim Arnold's Pinball Hall of Fame. Official Website to the Pinball Hall of Fame.
Attention! The NEW Pinball Hall of Fame (PHoF) opens November 3, 2009 at it's new dedicated location. Twice the size of the original PHoF, the new locale is much closer to 'the Strip'. Also it's a standalone and dedicated museum, with pinball and nothing but pinball for 10,000 square feet. The new address is 1610 E. Tropicana, Las Vegas NV 89119 (right across the street from the Liberace Museum), and the old 3330 E. Tropicana location will close on November 2, 2009. We will update the website with new pictures soon, showing the new facility.
Las Vegas is known for the unusual and offbeat. Places like the Liberace Museum, the Neon Museum, the Clown Factory, The Elvis Museum, the Barry Manilow Store, the Pinball Hall of Fame... Wait a second. The Pinball Hall of Fame? What exactly is that? Or more importantly, why is there a Pinball Hall of Fame?
The Pinball Hall of Fame is an attempt by the members of the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club to house and display the world's largest pinball collection, open to the public. A not-for-profit corporation was established to further this cause. The games belong to one club member (Tim Arnold), and range from 1950s up to 1990s pinball machines. Since it is a non-profit museum, older games from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s are the prevelant, as this was the 'heyday' of pinball. There are no 'ticket spitters' here (aka kiddie casinos or redemption). It's all pure pinball (and a few arcade novelty games) from the past. And since it's a non-profit, excess revenues go to non-denominational charities.
10,000 square feet is dedicated in the new facility to the Pinball Hall of Fame, where the entire family can enjoy non-violent pinball arcade games for small dinero. All machines are available for play, so not only can you see them, you can actually play your old favorites. The pinball machines are all restored to like-new playing condition by people that love pinball and understand how a machine should work. All older pinballs are set to 25 cents per play, and newer 1990s models are set to 50 cents per play. A far better return on fun than any Las Vegas casino environment, and the PHoF actually has windows and a clock in the room! It takes more than slot machines to keep tourists happy, and the Pinball Hall of Fame is trying its best to do just that.
Forget the Las Vegas platitudes about sin and chance, excess and luck, 'what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas' slander. Sure Vegas is thought of in terms of slot machines, video poker, keno and roulette. Las Vegas is largely built on machines. And the Pinball Hall of Fame is no differenent, but it is different. Wall to wall machines, but machines that deliver fun, something that a lot of people come to Vegas for, and don't get. Pinball is a welcome antidote to the gambling thrall that rules the town. Look at the zombies playing slot machines. Are they really having fun? Fun is mandatory at the Pinball Hall of Fame, and it's something you'll leave with, unlike what a slot machine delivers. Look at people playing at the PHoF; they're cheering, jumping up and down, laughing. They're having fun.
The PHoF is grounded by a quality-for-quality's-sake, Zen-and-the-art-of-pinball-maintenance philosophy. The machines here all *work*, and they deliver what they promise - fun. The club members make sure of this, often clad in a carpenter's apron and strung in wire. The Pinball Hall of Fame's reputation is on the line, and it's causing a stir among 'pinheads' worldwide.
The PHoF is run by Tim Arnold, a veteran arcade operator who made it big in the 1970s and 1980s during the Pacman era. In 1976 Tim and his brother opened 'Pinball Pete's' in Lansing, Michigan, and it quickly became a gamer's mecca. At the height of their success, the Arnold brothers weren't counting coins, they were counting shovelfuls of coins. When Arnold sold his part of the business and moved to Las Vegas in 1990, he picked up the phone and started talking to the Salvation Army. Midge Arthur, the administrative assistant of the Las Vega branch of the Salvation Army says, 'I got a telephone call from Tim about 15 years ago, and he said, 'If I had money to give, what would you do with it?' We had a long discussion about our different rehabilitation programs. He was, I think, kind of skeptical of all organizations. He wanted to make sure the money was going to help people.' Not long after that conversation, Midge Arthur started receiving checks for thousands of dollars from the man she says is, 'one of my strangest, out-of-the-ordinary donors we have ever had.'
The Pinball Hall of Fame is a registered 501c3 non-profit. It relies on visitors stopping by to play these games, restored pinball machine sales, and 'This Old Pinball' repair dvd videos (available for sale at the museum). The PHoF has also helped out with fundraising for the local Salvation Army, accepting donations to benefit them. There is a candy vending stand, where the entire 25 cents of each quarter goes directly to the Salvation Army. And after the PHoF covers its monthly expenses for rent, electricity, insurance, endowment savings, the remainder of the money goes to the Salvation Army.
Tim says, 'I like the Salvation Army a lot because they're kinda like us. They're downtown on the cheap side, and they put all their emphasis on the areas that need emphasis, and not a lot on hierarchy and organization. When the crap hit the fan with Katrina, the government failed completely, the Red Cross failed mostly, but everybody that was there said the Salvation Army was exemplary in every way. This is why we help the Salvation Army. They are unlike any other charity or government, very little overhead and helping lots of people that need it. Today's society is often too self-centered to bother doing community service. So I'm just giving them a vehicle where they think they're being self-indulging by playing pinball, but they are really helping charity.'
The best thing about the Pinball Hall of Fame is their complete lack of a 'profit' mindset. It's about the games and charity, and not about making money. Tim explains, 'we just don't care that this or that game isn't making any money. The minute we start becoming professional, it's all gonna be about the dollars and it's not gonna be about the games. I mean like the kind of things we do to maintain these games - we change the rubber rings more often than we have to. We replace light bulbs the minute they burn out. That doesn't make any economic sense. If we were professional, we'd let things slide a little. There's no real economic reason for this to exist, or capitalism would've already built it.'
That 'cheap side' approach gives the Pinball Hall of Fame its disarming, thrift-store feeling. The royal-blue carpet? It's scrap from a Convention Center weekend show. The change machines? Grabed from the Golden Nugget's trash dock before the garbage men came. But it's not about cutting corners - it's about maintaining an almost obsessive focus on the pinball games themselves. Forget about public relations, marketing, uniforms, or even a sign outside. 'If the games play, the people will come, quarters at the ready. There's stuff here that hasn't been seen since my mom was a kid. And it's all up here, and it's playable.'
This last month we have seen Microsoft’s newest operating system, Windows 7, debut to much fanfare and praise. In light of this, this weeks Tech Tip looks at 7 things that help make Windows 7 the next “must get” operating system for your desktop pc or notebook computer.
1. Task Bar
One of the most obvious things that is different about Windows 7 is what Microsoft did with the Task Bar. With larger pinned icons that quickly and easily navigate through the various tasks being done, Windows 7 makes the old Quick Launch a distant memory. If you are hit with a bit of nostalgia, then just Bing “quick launch windows 7” for directions on how to get it back – but believe me, you won’t miss it. With this improved Task Bar, you can switch around how the programs are ordered, get full screen previews and even pin more of your favorite programs directly to it. Right- click on any of the icons, and you get a “Jump List” that shows the recent files (or web pages) used by that program – and yes, you can pin your favorites there too. Windows 7 makes navigating downright fun and fast.
2 Networking
With Windows 7, setting up a home network turns literally into a no-brainer. Setting up a home network that actually worked well in older versions of Windows sometimes was not something that the feint of heart would want to attempt, but the Windows 7 HomeGroup feature makes it a down right sin NOT to set up all your PCs with a home network. Not only do you get the essential files shared (photos, music, videos, documents), but you can literally make one of your PCs a multimedia hub feeding streaming entertainment to the other PCs on the network (you can even access your media remotely with “remote media streaming”). For HomeGroup functionality as well as remote media streaming, you do need the PCs to all be running Windows 7 – but really, you’d want to because it IS that slick and easy!
3 Better, Bigger, Faster, Stronger
One of the big gripes about Windows Vista was that it needed A LOT of horsepower behind it to really run effectively. With Windows 7, you not only get vastly improved boot up times, but you get snappier program response, better recover from sleep time and faster shut down time. All around Windows 7 is leaner, meaner and just that much better than all other versions of Windows before it. It basically does more with what you have (there’s even a version of Windows 7 for cheaper netbooks). With laptops, because of Windows 7's better power management and its very cool location aware printing features (it switched default printers between the home and office), Windows 7 will quickly become your operating system of choice. Believe me, if you’re a Windows XP holdout, Windows 7 will quickly make you a convert!
4 Handling Devices and Printers
Microsoft looked for a way to improve its handling of devices and in Windows 7 it has hit a home run. Cell phones, digital cameras, music players, printers old and new, even your PC - Windows 7 has made one easy place to manage all your device
5 Improved Search
One of the really nice features that Windows Vista introduced to the Windows family was the Search Box in the Start Menu. Honestly, it is like regressing going from that back to Windows XP and having to root around with its search functions. With Windows 7 you get that search box on steroids. It is now faster, more inclusive and easier to use than before. Want to find out what’s new in Windows 7, just click on Start and type in the search box: “what’s new with Windows 7”; or perhaps you are looking for ways to get started with windows 7, then simply type in “getting started”; or perhaps you’re thinking or getting started with HomeGroup, then type in, you guessed it: “HomeGroup”. It works great with searching your documents, photos and music too (down to a word or phrase included a document). Basically, you find the things you are looking for faster and easier than ever before.
6 Snap, rattle and peek
Windows 7 has taken actually using your open windows on the desktop and whipping them into shape to a whole ‘nother level with Snap. With the snap feature, you simply “snap” the windows against the side of the screen to resize and arrange them. For example, you can take a window, drag it by its top border to the top of the screen and it “snaps” into maximized size. Do it again to that window and it returns to its previous size. You can even snap two windows side by side for easy comparison. The similar “shake” feature lets you grab the top border of an open windows and with a quick “shake” of the mouse, make all the other windows minimize. The Peek feature is kind of like the old “show desktop” from the quick launch bar – but with a twist. This handy little button on the far right of the task bar (right next to the clock) will minimize all the windows when clicked on once, and bring them back again with another click – but if you hover over it with out clicking you can “peek” at your windows desktop (including any gadgets you have).
7 Windows Live Essentials, Security and more Flexibility
As we have seen, Windows 7 is quite a robust operating system in itself. Microsoft had the forethought to also add what they call “Live Essentials” to the mix. This is a set of free programs that you can pick and choose from in one convenient package. They are downloaded, so you will need internet access (which if you’re reading this Tech Tip – you more than likely already have). With Live Essentials for Windows 7, (which is a little different than the Windows Live Essentials package for other versions of Windows) , you get a bunch of free basic programs such as a photo editor, an e-mail program, instant messenger, etc. Not to be overlooked is Microsoft’s newly released “Security Essentials” package that provides virus, malware and spyware protection for your PC. And not to be overlooked is the greatest flexibility ever offered with a Windows package. With Windows 7, you can quickly and easily turn on and off Windows features to suit your needs (such as Internet Explorer and Windows Media Player).
So, give Windows 7 a go and we’re sure you’ll find that it is simply the best operating system that Microsoft has ever put out.
You know that there is nothing quite so pleasurable as Pimping out your PC – and what better way to do it than with upgrading your peripherals. In this week's Tech Tip, we’ll look at some cool peripherals that will get your desktop PC styling in no time! Specifically, we’ll be looking at computer speakers and webcams.
Most computers already come with a set of speakers and while they are just fine for playing around on the desktop computer, sometimes you just yearn for a little more. So when it comes to wanting your computer to sound its best – whether for gaming, movies, music or online web experiences – then you find that "Pimping your PC" with an upgraded set of speakers makes you computer “come alive.”
Some things to consider when getting a new speaker set for your PC:
If at all possible, try to listen to the speakers in person. If not possible, then try to hunt down some reviews (like on Amazon or review.cnet.com)
Some computers will also include a digital audio jack (SPDIF); for this type you need a digital speaker set (be sure to set your PC to SPDIF audio out too).
Adding a subwoofer is usually the cheapest, quickest way to give your computer better sound.
Speaking of subwoofers – these are usually bundled with a speaker set. Speaker sets that include subwoofers are usually referred to as “x.1” sets where x is the number of other speakers. (for example, a set with 4 speakers and one subwoofer will be called a 4.1 set or surround sound speaker set.
If using a multiple speaker set, check your audio card connectors to be sure that you can actually connect all the speakers (newer computers will usually have them – older ones will be 2 speaker set-up only).
You can always (of course) connect your computer to your home stereo with the proper cable connection.
Speaker wattage ratings can either be listed as PMPO (Peak Maximum Power Output – usually given for the entire set combined) or RMS (Root Mean Squared – listed for either each individual speaker or for the entire set combined). The RMS rating is more of a true indicator of the speakers “power” (in fact, take those PMPO ratings with a grain of salt).
Webcams
Honestly, if you already have a webcam, then you know all the cool things that you can do. From video conferencing, to VoIP (think Skype) to just goofing around and uploading a video to YouTube – a webcam enhances your PC experience.
These days you can easily pick up a basic webcam for next to nothing (some are even well under $10) and for many first time webcam users, this may suffice. But with the market being the way it is, you will also find that for just a few extra dollars you can get higher end webcams that will make the experience that much better (even if you have an integrated webcam – don’t worry, you can have both on the PC - however, most programs will only let you choose one at a time).
For a more extensive look at picking out just the right webcam, be sure to see the Tech Tip “Choosing Your Webcam”
Some things to consider when getting a new webcam:
The most basic webcams will usually be either a 100k or 300k (as in kilopixels – think either 0.1 or 0.3 megapixels) resolution (100k is 320x240 and 300k is 640x480 resolution – these are both good for basic “webcamming”).
Higher end webcams will usually bump the resolution to either 1.3MP (megapixels) or even 2.0MP.
Most webcams use a manual focus.
Webcams are usually the stand alone type that sits on your desktop or computer monitor though some models can also clip onto a laptop monitor or desktop LCD monitor.
Most have a USB interface and come with very basic software (or sometimes none at all). A camera can comes with a composite video connector (but will need a capture card), an Ethernet connection or even be wireless (WiFi) – but these are not usually called or sold as “webcams” per se (they are usually more for surveillance purposes).
Some webcams may include infrared LEDs for a low-light night mode.
Other accessories a webcam may have are headsets (earphone with mic) or a microphone built right into the webcam.
Even higher up, but usually for the bigger bucks are the webcams that have pan, tilt, zoom capabilities (commonly abbreviated as PTZ) and webcams with tracking (generally when you start getting into these features, they start being sold more as surveillance cameras than webcams).
Final Thoughts
One of the cool aspects of owning a PC is being able to upgrade it and as we have seen, by far one of the easier ways to Pimp out your PC is by looking at what peripherals can be added to it or easily upgraded. We hope that this week's Tech Tip looking at speakers and webcams got your creative juices flowing and your mind working for these (and other ways) you can Pimp your PC!
Not the best shot of Sams Town.. But it is from OUR GALLERY.. hey how about adding some more Sams Town photos?
I sure get a kick when I see that XXXX number of folks viewed one of my shots. And you should too. Unless you are a Large Format PRO.. and guard your prints with a dog AND a gun.??
The plea's for photos has nothing to do with me.. and everything to do with you. Getting into the "Spirit" of a Vegas friends network. That is what OpenVegas is.. BTW. The OpenVegas social network for adults that enjoy themselves online.
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It has been a while since I was there. But not THAT long.
When People ask... "I've been to Vegas 10 times.. now what?"
I nearly always suggest heading off and seeing Sams Town..
They still KNOW HOW TO DEAL CRAPS at that place. On the other hand.. they also love dealing it to the Dollar player. That means lots of players and some very complicated pay off transactions. If the dealers are not up to snuff.. well you get the idea. (This isn't a dig BTW.. just my personal opinion on how I like to play craps)
I guess I was the ONLY GUY today playing RED chips. ($5). ..sigh.. and yes I did play some Green ones.. went up and down a bunch and finally SAM got the better of me. (Some how didn't feel so bad considering I own a few shares of BYD stock) Wow and it went UP today..!
For me it isn't "Winning".. yea really. Winning is like icing on the cake for me. I like the "Play".. the action. Having a great time. Which for the most part I did. Laughing and cheering on the rolls. Fast friends..etc.
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There was this very annoying LINE of afternoon "Contest-Slot" Something happening. I guess you stand in line for 2 hours you get to win money and/or a tee shirt? The line cut right against the table. Wasn't classy..
You might think "Gene you used Sams Town and Classy in the same sentence?" Yes I did. Classy in the sense that Sams always takes their Craps play (or used to) very seriously. Great great dealers.. lots of tables. Fun but professional attitudes. The only house that loved craps as much as I do was the old DI (Desert Inn) At the end I actually saw BLUE dice. Hmmm Oh and I have Video I'll post of it.. You know. Right before Wynn took the wrecking ball to it!
Personally I love an icy cold craps table. If I can be the only guy.. or one of say 3 players.. I'm in heaven! 3 or 4 good players with honest and helpful dealers makes the game what it is.. FUN for me!
By the time I left they had opened 2 (yes two) whole craps tables??? I'm sure they were getting ready to open more. (sarcastic tone)
The "Afternoon" walker-scooter- retired folks etc.. ?? It was nearly their bed time (3pm) so they had started to leave for home. The casino was slowing down before the Night play (Rush or whatever they call it) Duh.. SWING SHIFT!!! Yea that's right. Wow it has been a long time since I worked in a hotel huh?
I really didn't want to leave after 4hrs of play. The place had just started to FEEL good to me. Granted I lost more than my limit.. And believe it or not I went up to the cage and asked what it would take to get "Casino Credit".. She started rattling off "Letters to my bank" and all kinds of very scary stuff. I asked her if there was a document I could read at home. Of course she said NO. ??/
Every Resort Hotel (- corporation) handles what they do differently. Sure not having to go to the ATM would be nice.. but I could see me losing my HOME one day if I wasn't careful. I decided to KEEP things right the way they are for now. No Casino CREDIT for GENE!!
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While standing in one of my favorite spots at Sams Town.. the Atrium. There was this terrible sound. (Not children yelling) It was maintenance "Testing" a fan or something. Horrible noise. But anything is better than kids IMHO.(Now that's a dig against parents taking their very young children to Las Vegas.. so SUE me!)
Then it struck me. Las Vegas is going through ANOTHER major change. The thought actually came to me me when I was looking at their 30 year wall of "Stuff". I was there 30 years ago.. and I LOVE Sams Town. Just love the place. Back when Frank and I ran Vegas Playground Dial Up Online Service.. we nearly always had our meets there.
Oh and of course I did NOT have my trusty camera with me to SHOW you those historical framed photos and "Stuff" in the Sams Town lobby.. Maybe one of you can step up and take a few shots for us?
That went out of business in 1995 as I remember it.
Yes Yes YES!!! the Vegas housing market is a Cluster Fuk. (No other way to write it BTW).. We all HOPE that "IT" what ever the heak that IT was.. comes back. Maybe this time with some common sense?
I read a report somewhere not to long ago that the Cannery (not to far from Sams Town BTW) is having a hard economic time.. but still "Making it". That is good news.
HERE WE GO AGAIN. In fact.. I took the car to the earliest memories of Vegas of mine today. Out by McCarren is where me, my mom and 2 much older sisters lived briefly..
THE APARTMENTS WERE STILL THERE. Sure my car passed some hoodlums. Oh I mean our fine children on their way to school.
Las Vegas is.. that could be argued has always been in a Flux of change.. is going back through it all over again. Change is always painful. This time with the housing crisis.. OH MAN.. It is tough
I sincerely Love Las Vegas. Being my life long home and all.. Of course at the worst possible moment we have skyscraper resorts/??? whatever the heak they are.. that might or might not get finished. If you are an OLD local like me.. the LANDMARK should come to mind. It took them what seemed like forever to get it up and finished. Remember James Bond riding the outside elevator? I do. BTW... that is ME playing Craps in the white shirt. Ok maybe not.. but in my mind it always is.
I was there with my mother (RIP) On opening night. She in her best fur..All the men were in their Tuxes. Women were right out of the AMC (Cable TV Series based on 1960's Madison Ave PR companies) MADMEN. Smoking and drinking up a storm.. It dazzled the heak out of me. Remember it opened in 1969.. and I either saw or was about to see 2001 a Space Odyssey Movie. Stanley Kubrick's look into the future.
The whole place was magical.
When it ended. You saw people walking around in flip flops and some guys didn't bother to wear shirts. A fall from grace.
The pools around the Landmark.. OMG. You would not believe it. Slowly over the 70's.. they were shut down. closed and even vandalized.
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I'm nearly 50. (In December) Here Las Vegas goes again running full speed into that CHANGE word again! It is interesting to say the least.
Driving down Maryland Parkway in front of UNLV.. the front of UNLV now has a kind of Retro Resort Casino "Thing-a-ma-jig} to it. Yawn.. Might have been better if they would pay attention to the BOOKS and Quality of Education vs. Flash Light Sculptures and some such nonsense.
Getting back to Sams Town.. It was one of the first places I showed my would be wife more than 30 years ago. I still think the Atrium is cool.. just not with all that racket I heard today.
ST has radically changed over the 30 years it has been here.. and I'm sure it is going to change even more.
OpenVegas (used to be the simple forums as Las Vegas Talk) are changing again. This time I think with much better results.
Today (technically yesterday as I am writing this at 3am now) was an Interesting day for me. I put my wife on the plane for her work back in Ohio... Leaving me here at home. It will be a lonely 12 days I can assure you until she returns. (that sent me down memory lane.. driving around etc)
Sams Town just like the housing crisis.. and everything else going on today in Las Vegas is right smack in the middle of change. I'd like to think these changes are for the better. Eventually Vegas will get Newer and better (classy) resort properties. Frank and our site OV will continue to evolve and improve just like the city around us.
I think it is important that all our members REMEMBER that if you have NOT been to your favorite Vegas hotel in 3 or more years. You should do some research. Go into our forums and ask around. Check out our rate site:
One of the very large changes coming is a full interrogation of RATE into OpenVegas. That will give our members the ability to rate and comment on their stays. This in turn will "Ripple out" good quality information helping the next Vegas visitor. And of course.. the Social Networking. This will be a constant flood of Vegas photos, videos, blogs, trip reports, etc.. INFORMATION that everybody will get something out of.
I am very optimistic about the whole thing. For our housing "Crisis".. the economy.. the future of all the other local kids growing up here today. What kind of Las Vegas will they live and work in when 2020 rolls around?
Considering how long Frank and I have been involved in Online Persuits. (Since 1983) I'm sure we will be announcing a new WIZ BANG version of OV9.0 by then. A web site that will not only book your intercontinental high speed rail ticket.. but might also clean your house while your gone. Now wouldn't that be wonderful.
You might recall a previous TechTip that looked at software you can use to wrangle all of the passwords you have for your favorite Web sites and Web services. Those apps are a good solution, but what if there was a way to securely log into multiple sites using only one ID?
That's not a pipe dream. And it isn't a matter of using the same user name and password for everything (remember, I said securely). A technology called OpenID offers that promise, and is on its way to delivering it.
What is OpenID?
OpenID isn't software. The OpenID Foundation, a non-profit which works towards the adoption and spread of OpenID, describes it as a decentralized standard for user authentication and access control, allowing users to log into different services with the same ID. Another way that people describe OpenID is single sign-on (SSO).
OpenID, though, does one thing and does it well. It authenticates users, confirming they are who they say they are.
You don't need to worry about having a unique user name and password for each and every site that you need to log into. Instead, your login credentials (called an OpenID) consists of a URL – like http://MySecretID.myopenid.com/ – that's yours and yours alone. An OpenID provider, a site or server that hosts your URL, ensures that your OpenID is authentic.
The URL acts as a universal user name. The only password you need is the one that you use to log into your OpenID provider.
Who controls OpenID?
No single individual, company, or organization controls OpenID. The technology behind OpenID is Open Source. There can be any number of OpenID providers. In fact, if you have the technical expertise you can set yourself up as a provider and run what's called an identity server. You can learn more about doing that here. That's also a double-edged sword, which I'll discuss in a moment.
That said, it's not like the folks working on OpenID are lone programmers in the wilderness. A number of well-known tech companies back and support OpenID. Companies like Google, Yahoo!, VeriSign, and Sun Microsystems.
Using OpenID
Using OpenID sounds difficult. It isn't. It just requires you to change the way in which you think about logging into Web sites and services. Luckily, that shift isn't a big one.
First off, you need find an OpenID provider and sign up for an account. If you're looking for one, this is a good resource. Most of the people I know who use OpenID tend to opt for one of the following providers:
The signup process is simple. You choose a user name, which is tacked on to the domain name of the provider. For example, http://YourName.claimid.com. You also need to create a password and enter an email address.
Once you've signed up, you can use your URL. From there, you go to the login screen of a site that supports OpenID. You can find a comprehensive list of those sites here.
You'll have to click a link, which says Login with OpenID or something similar.
Type your URL in the OpenID field and click Sign In. You'll be redirected to your OpenID provider, where you'll need to enter the password for your OpenID account. The provider confirms that you are who you claim you are, which takes about a second. You'll be sent back to the site where you'll be logged in.
All of this seems a tad cumbersome, but the advantage is that you don't need to worry about remembering a user name and password combination for every site that you use. There's just one.
Advantages and drawbacks
The main advantage of using OpenID is that you only need one user name and password for the Web sites that you use. You'll no longer need to tax your memory or confuse one login with another.
OpenID is Open Source. That means a large number of eyes are on it, and constantly improving it. And it's not just the so-called hobbyist programmers, either. As mentioned earlier, a number of tech giants are involved in the development of OpenID.
Because OpenID is decentralized, no one firm controls it. You don't have to worry about a firm folding or suddenly charging for the service. There are a growing number of OpenID providers out there – all you need to do is pick one.
On the other hand, a large number of Web sites don't support OpenID. As I read somewhere on the Web, some folks cite the chicken-egg problem. Not all sites support OpenID because there aren't enough people using it or who are comfortable with it. The number of sites that support OpenID is growing, but not rapidly.
There's also the potential for phishing and identity theft. Remember what I wrote earlier about setting up an identity server? There's nothing to stop a malicious programmer from setting one up and using your own data against you.
Sometimes, you run into an OpenID-enabled site that doesn't play nicely. I know a couple of people who weren't able to log into certain sites even though their OpenID credentials were valid and correct. This doesn't happen often, but when it does it can be frustrating.
Conclusion
OpenID is an interesting and useful way to log into your favorite Web sites. While the number of sites that support OpenID isn't that large, support is gradually increasing.
You msight not want to use OpenID for logging into all Web sites, but the idea of single sign-on is intriguing. OpenID is another step towards making it universally available and acceptable.
You might recall a couple of previousTechTips that covered some free, simple desktop computer photo editing software. But what happens if you're using a netbook that might not have the grunt to run those apps efficiently? Or if you're not using your own computer?
A more than viable alternative is to go online. This TechTip looks at why you'd want to and five of the better Web-based photo editors.
Why go online?
As mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago, you might be using a netbook, an older desktop computer or laptop computer, or you could be working on one that's not yours. There's a chance that computer won't have enough hard drive space or memory or a fast enough CPU to handle a decent image editor. And if the computer isn't yours, the owner may frown upon you installing software on it.
Another reason is convenience. About half of my work is done on my netbook. And I try to keep the amount of software on it to a minimum. That means, among other things, no photo editors that might slow the netbook down. But I often need to resize or crop a stock photo for an article, blog post, or presentation. In those cases, an online photo editor comes in handy.
Finally, your photo editing needs are probably modest. You just need some basic functions and effects, which a good online editor packs.
There have to be some drawbacks
Of course there are. The obvious one is that you need a reliable and fast Internet connection to use these editors. If your connection drops, you'll more than likely lose your work.
On top of that, the editor that you choose might not have the feature or function that you need. If it does, that feature or function may not be as easy to use or as powerful as you need it to be.
Sometimes those online editors can be slow, especially when uploading or downloading a photo. While researching this TechTip, I even had one or two hang my Web browser.
Four of the best
There are a large number of photo editors on the Web. Some are good – comparable to a decent desktop editor. Others aren't. Here are four of the best of the crop of Web-based photo editors. They're powerful, flexible, and free. And you don't necessarily have to set up an account to use them.
Note: Most of the editors that this TechTip discusses impose a limit on the size of files you can edit. Depending on the editor, that limit is between two and three megabytes.
Pixlr
Pixlr reminds me of an online version of the popular desktop photo editor called Paint Shop Pro. Of the four editors that this TechTip discusses, Pixlr is the most like a desktop application in appearance.
There are two versions of Pixlr: Editor and Express. Editor is the fully-featured application, while Express it the lite version. Both allow you to upload a file from your computer or open a photo somewhere on the Web for editing.
Remember what I said about Paint Shop Pro? Well, that's Editor. You get the full range of functions that you'd expect from a desktop photo editor, all available from a set of menus.
It's more than just a photo editor, though. You can also create images with it using a set of drawing tools. And in addition to the basic functions for manipulating a photo, Editor packs an array of filters and of photo touch-up tools. You can blur, sharpen, and emboss a photo. You can also make your pic look like an old photo and even add scan lines (like and old TV).
One feature of Pixlr Editor that some photographers might find useful is the ability to add layers. Among other things, layers allow you to seamlessly superimpose one image over another.
Pixlr Express, on the other hand, does away with the menus. You access all of the functions from a sidebar. There aren't all that many functions available, but they're more than enough for basic image editing.
As with most other editors, Pixlr Express enables you to crop, rotate, and resize photos. You can also adjust brightness and color, and add some of the same effects that you can add with Pixlr Editor.
If you use the Firefox Web browser, there's an add-on available that opens images on the Web directly in Pixlr – no need to do that at the Pixlr site.
Change-Images
If you're looking for something that's simple, then Change-Images is the online photo editor to go with. It's bare bones, but if you only need the basics then it's a great choice.
Change-Images only supports five functions: resizing, cropping, converting, applying effects, and adding border (called frames) to photos. Each function has its own tab, and each tab has a simple set of controls.
You can only upload photos from your computer to Change-Images. It doesn't integrate with photo sharing sites, and you can't point it to an image on the Web. Still, for what it is, Change-Images does a solid job.
The resize feature has a set of pre-set sizes to which you can shrink a photo. You can choose sizes in pixels or as a percentage of the original file. You can also set a custom size in pixels.
The conversion feature can take photos (and other images) in a number of formats – including popular ones JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP – and convert them to one of nine commonly-used formats. You can also choose the quality of the conversion, from highest to lowest.
There are also 18 image effects available, ranging from rotating a photo to embossing it. You can also change the brightness of a photo or convert it to grayscale.
Overall, Change-Images is quick and easy to use. It's not pretty, but it doesn't have to be.
Picnik
This is one of the two Flash-based editors mentioned in this TechTip. As such, you'll want to make sure that you have the latest Flash player installed to use it.
Picnik is a simple, but flexible tool. It enables you to upload a photo, or open one from a variety of photo sharing sites including Flickr, Picasa, Photobucket, Webshots, and even FaceBook and MySpace. You can't, however, point to an image on the Web and edit it.
Picnik packs two sets of functions. The first one, under the Edit tab, allows you to do basic editing. Things like cropping and rotating an image, sharpening it, adjusting the color and removing red eye. Things get interesting, though, when you click the Create tab.
The functions under the Create tab enable you to add a whack of nifty, funky, and downright strange effects. Like what? You can convert a color photo to black and white or sepia. You can soften it, and even turn it into something resembling a pencil sketch.
Some of Picnik's other features include adding text and borders to photos, and stitching a bunch of photos together to create a collage.
A number of the effects are labeled Premium in the interface. If you want to use them, you need to pay a $24.95 annual fee. Unless you need those effects, or if you want to support Picnik's development, the free features are more than good enough
FotoFlexer
FotoFlexer bills itself as the most advanced online image editor. I don't know if I'd go that far, but FotoFlexer is easy to use and it does pack a lot of useful features.
FotoFlexer allows you to upload a photo, grab one off the Web, or get a photo from your account on popular photo sharing sites like Flickr and Picasa, or from your MySpace or FaceBook account.
FotoFlexer combines some of the best elements of the other Web-based photo editors that this TechTip discusses. There are no menus. Instead, functions are grouped under a set of tabs. There are a wide range of these functions – from basic cropping and resizing and rotating to sharpening and removing red eye, to removing blemishes from a photo.
As with Pixlr, you can add layers to a photo that you're editing in FotoFlexer. You can also insert another image (without a layer), add text, and apply over a dozen effects to a photo. If you're so inclined, you can also distort a photo in a number of ways and add animated shapes to your photo. The latter isn't my thing, but obviously there's a market for it …
What I found interesting were the functions under the Geek tab. Among these is one that interfaces with a webcam to capture images. Two other functions that I found interesting are Smart Scissors and Smart Cutout. Both of these enable you to select selections of a photo and pull them out, jagged edges and all – sort of like cutting out portions of a printed photo with scissors. While Smart Scissors and Smart Cutout are more fun than anything else, they can be useful for putting together a digital collage.
Like Picnik, FotoFlexer is Flash based. And, like Picnik, you'll want the latest Flash player installed on your computer before you use the editor.
A final word
If your photo editing needs are simple, or if you just don't want to clutter your hard drive with more software then a Web-based photo editing application is a good way to go. There are a number of them out there, and they're fast and easy to use. Chances are you'll find one with just the features that you need.
Pimping Your PC with Peripherals Keyboards and Mice!
By Bryan Lambert - September 27, 2009
You get your shiny new PC delivered via FedEx. As you start to unpack and assemble that puppy, you realize that the peripherals (if they even have any) are usually of the most basic kind. Its then that you realize that you need to Pimp Your PC with peripherals. In this Tech Tip we'll look at two of the most basic of computer parts that will help you Geek out on your PC experience yes, the lowly keyboard and mouse.
Nothing quite makes or breaks the PC experience like a quality keyboard. Sure, that keyboard packed with your PC, (or built in - as in the case of laptops), may be adequate for the basic computer experience so unless you got one of those Macs with that snazzy aluminum keyboards. You may want to think about getting something better... cooler stronger faster Well, step right up theres a cacophony of keyboards to choose from: wireless; wired; multimedia; with iPod docks, ergonomic, integrated USB, integrated mics, integrated speakers, even gold plated ones and others made out of wood - you name it, someone somewhere has probably built and sold it.
Lets get down to business. With a keyboard, you need something that is not only well made and durable but something that works for what you want to get out of it. When it comes to keyboards, you have LogitechMicrosoft, Kensington and then everyone else, but you really dont need to stick to a name brand to get a quality keyboard you just need to know what to look for. Does it flex and bow (youd be surprised)? how do the keys feel when typing? Does it just look good? All important questions to ask and it may be worth it (if possible) to try out the keyboard in person to make sure that it suits you but even sight unseen you may be able to dig up a review or two to get a good idea about how it'll work.
Some things to consider when getting a new keyboard:
Make sure that you get one that works with your computers ports (usually USB or PS/2)
If going for wireless, Bluetooth is a little more expensive than RF (radio frequency) but if you need more than a six foot range, then go with Bluetooth.
Extra goodies and features on a keyboard make it that much more functional. Maybe consider a keyboard with built in touch pad or scroll wheel. Youll be surprised how much youll end up using it.
Flexible membrane keyboards as well as mini keyboards, while cool, are a pain to type on.
Dont be afraid of a refurbished keyboard most were returned more because someone didnt like that particular keyboard for whatever reason (same with mice).
If you are a Mac user, modern Apples will work fine with standard Windows PC USB keyboards though you get that pesky Windows friendly layout. Conversely, most keyboards designed for modern Macs will work fine for PCs (but, as always, there are some exceptions).
If you are a gamer, Id highly recommend looking at some of the gamer specific keyboards, keypads and mice (usually made by niche companies like Wolfking but even mainstream companies like Logitech have their fair share of gaming keyboards (like their G13 Gameboard). Not really practical for the rest of us, but if youre a gamer these will help you get your game on.
Mice / Mouse
Getting just the right mouse for your computer can make all the difference in the world. While a good keyboard can make or break the computer experience, mice run a close second. Standard mice basically come in three flavors: ball mice (these are the ones that are usually pre-packaged with a PC and that may come in some of the more inexpensive keyboard/mouse combo kits), optical mouse (so named because it uses an LED light to track movement rather than a physical ball rolling around), and laser mouse -- (basically like the optical but using a laser rather than an LED they work better on certain surfaces than optical). There are alternatives to the standard mouse, such as a trackball mouse and digital tablets and some people do swear by them, but they take getting use to.
While many of the same caveats that applied to keyboards also apply to mice there are a few extra things to consider with mice:
When shopping for a laptop mouse, there are mini type mice available. They fit great in a case, but not necessarily in your hand.
Check the specs on your laptop, it may already have Bluetooth built in. If it does, then getting a wireless Bluetooth mouse just makes sense. If it doesnt and you want to go wireless, then look for a mouse with a mini adapter that plugs into the laptop (like the Logitech VX Nano mouse or you can just buy a mini USB Bluetooth adapter yourself.).
Even though optical mice work with a variety of surfaces, you may still find that you need a mouse pad (some companies such as Fellowes make mouse pads specifically for optical mice).
Some desktop wireless mice include a recharging cradle a nice way to save costs on battery replacements.
Consider buying a keyboard and mouse combo theres no better way to assure color and style coordination.
Final Thoughts
Though we all know keyboards and mice, it's easy to become overwhelmed when buying upgrades with the bewildering number of choices that are available. It is our hope that with this week's Tech Tip, youll find that task a little less daunting and a little more fun! So go! Get your Geek on! Pimp your PC with a new keyboard and mouse!
Don't blink or you will miss this "Welcome to Springdale" sign. Yea really!
I ran this through mapquest from the 89109 Zip Code.. that places the Round Trip point at the South Strip. Distance is roughly 162 miles and driving time (estimated) is 2 hours 40 minutes. I live about 26 miles North of 89109 and I drive a tad faster than the limit. I simply can't tell you how fast we made it to and from.
Go back to the OpenVegas Gallery.. then CLICK on the photo. It will go FULL 3000x pixel size. You will see exactly what you are getting yourself into with this small trip!
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The drive there? Well it has changes since the last time we drove there! That is NOT a good thing BTW. One of the "Towns" you drive through is Hurricane UT. Probably on the AAA map of "SPEED TRAPS". Watch yourself. If you are driving over the posted limit. AND LOOK HARD FOR THE SIGN. AND if you are the ONLY ONE out there driving. Be double Extra careful. These cops see you as $$$$$$$ in their coffers.
Don't let the photo fool ya.. it is a WHITE and YELLOW car. Their unmarked cars are small and cheap looking. Remember you are Their Meal Ticket!
We drove in late.. 11pm on a Sunday night. I own the Valentine ONE Radar Detector. One of the best radar detectors made on this planet today. It has saved my "bacon" every time I leave my home.
If you are lucky enough to own a Valentine. You will never know how you drove your car without one. This could be a blog just about my adventures using my trusty Valentine ONE. Please remember car thiefs and other bad guys (cops too) know the value of your Radar Detector. At $400ea. They will bash in your window to steal it. The police? Well they must figure you are a serious speeder..and will do their best to write you up for all the times THEY "Missed Ya". So make sure that it is covered when parked. And GET IT OUT OF SITE if ever pulled over. Oh and.. we use a simple black bathroom towel for all of that. At night the RED numbers are easy to spot. (probably at over 1000 yards) So when the Cop is tailing you. Flip over the towel. You can still HEAR the detection.. but Officer Friendly can't see that you have "The best Radar Detector ever made" on your dash.
When driving through the DARK and QUIET Hurricane UT. OMG LATE AT NIGHT! 10-11pm The detector went crazy. First I encountered 3 unmarked Police cars zooming past me in a row.
See the speed limit in parts of Hurricane is 30 and 40mph. They must take their "Tickets" very seriously there. At such LOW speed limits.. and long empty roads it is very easy to get moving up to 65mph. As quick as "You're busted for $500 Plus!" A $500 ticket is not only possible but inevitable. OUCH!
Enough about "Bad Law and Bad Cops".. If they made better roads and had driving exams that blind people couldn't pass.. we would not need so much "Johnny Law" on the street taxing us with their Tickets!!!
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Me and my wife found Springdale more than 14 years ago. When we found it all we wanted was a simple quiet getaway. In the 14 years since Springdale has GROWN UP. It can be thick with tourists. But not that bad. The people are generally nice.. that goes for the visitors and the people that LET you into their town.
Each time we return it seems that somebody has created an even better place to day. I thought I was in Heaven when I first saw a room with an air conditioner. Now the "Higher End" rooms/places have flat screen TVs and much much more. Believe me it is like standing in front of Gods Golden Gates when you stay there.
I have a lot of video and more breath taking shots to show you.. but I thought I'd throw together this very quickly. My wife and I plan to go back and really SHOW you what Springdale is all about.
Many people come to Vegas and after about the 10th trip.. they ask "Now what?" Many do what everybody else does. Red Rock, Valley of Fire, Lake Meade, the Dam and the other places. Some even go to the Grand Canyon.
Now I haven't done any of the AZ helicopter rides.. (I have taken the night flight over the strip.. and that is another story and blog) But to tell you the truth. If you have the time and a rental car. It just makes sense to drive. Don't rush to the "Grand" canyon. Spend some days at this part of UT.
Springdale is the kind of place for people that love "Quiet Places" or folks that love to hike. Me and mine are the "Quiet" types. We really love it in Springdale.
I'm also a Gadget person. I own a portable telescope/spotter scope.
I used to carry all kinds of telescope stuff. Nothing worked until I got this one. I got rid of the view finder in favor or a cheap green laser. You just plop the laser on top of the scope and Bling.. you know what you are looking at. That night over the breath taking Zion hills/Mts. I could see Jupiter. Within minutes I had my scope out of its carrying bag and there WE were. Looking right at Jupiter. Now if I was a smart guy.. I would have brought a camera extension (that I own) a filter and I'd have photos to share with you. Sorry gang.. but I swear next time I will have such photos.
The scope is great. The glass is very very good. Worth every penny and it comes with a super logical carrying case. Since I got this travel scope.. I use it nearly every trip and never am I disappointed. When you look through the lens everything is right side up. That is wonderful because that means you can bird watch in the day time hours as well as look at the night starts. The down side is it is difficult or impossible to look straight up with it. I think that another type a tripod would fix that issue. But as a travel scope.. nothing beats this one. Seriously. I love it. And as I wrote.. the glass is not that cheap junk you find in the stores or even in the "Sporting goods" places. For $150 You get what you pay for. When there is something in the sky you want to see.. this scope will give you a crystal clear look at it.
The restaurants. Well.. Springdale has the good sense NOT TO LET McDonalds or Starbucks or Walmart anywhere near their little town. Their Restaurants are very good. The food above average if not GREAT! Service is better than well.. most Las Vegas hotels. (unless your play rates High Roller Status)
The first night we ate "Hot Dogs" at the Misqute Slurp and pump. Awk.. but we had plenty of extras. Fresh fruit to keep us over. We at "Fresh Mex" the second night. The food and service was above average. Ok.. the service was INCREDIBLE. The food was above average. They were all very very nice to us.
There is a market at the end of town. A bus of some sort that you can drive around for free.
I have health issues.. so the idea of going into Zion.. is not on my "To Do List". Just being in this town is enough for me. A short drive from Vegas.. Great food, nice people, rock stores. I'm one happy camper.
Check this out:
yea yea.. Who could afford it.
But we did buy 3 little ones. Two were in the 20 - $25 range. One was in the $10 range. We are going to mount them so one of my wife's family (the kid) can hang it on his wall.
The place was called Zion Rock and Gem. Very nice people. There was a place right down the road that had this very attractive Red Head "Girl" working behind the counter. In fact a guy was actually hitting on her when WE were talking. I can't remember the name of that store.. but was also locally run and had some very nice people running it.
Speaking of affording anything. Now this is a Crystal Ball. A psychic's dream come true:
THEY.. the owner of Zion Rock and Gem wanted.. GULP! $3500 for it. I "GULP!!" offered $1200 for it. I was very happy that my offer was declined. Frank (yea that Frank) says that there is a big deal wholesale Gem Stone Fair in AZ he goes to sometimes. So for such "Wonders".. I'll wait.
It might be hard to tell.. but this real authentic quartz crystal ball is about the size of a small beach ball.
I have many more shots.. and several TIME Lapse photos of our time there. What does that mean? Well.. We want to go back. Instead of for 2 fast nights.. maybe 5 days. 5 days in a room with a jacuzzi and fireplace in it. Lots more photos and fab videos.
We spent way way to much money there. Me buying rocks like a hound. And then loading up on fossils and tee shirts for the kids back home.
If you have come to Las Vegas for 20 plus times. And you enjoy the "Quiet Life!" Give Springdale a try. It is like a micro vacation that breaths life back into my soul every time I go.
So what if you went to the "Grand Canyon".. take a look at the few photos I brought back. That is my slice of heaven. Not that many crowds.. reasonable cost rooms and good eats.. without the Corporate BS.
Thanks for reading.. and ask yourself. Why isn't my Vegas blog with photos (uploaded to the OV gallery) here?
GENE
November 2009 update:
As expected.. The 10 year old boy went "Crazy" with his Fossils. He even knew the NAME's of what we gave him. The wife got him a large book that listed many Fossil types and names. He was spell bound.
So once again.. if you you have young boys back home. Don't miss Springdale and their rock shops. You'll spend to much but you will get so much more than you expected.
I can remember my first encounter with a Web camera (or webcam, for short). It was in the early 1990s, and the item in question was perched atop the computer monitor of a friend's desktop pc. It looked like a large, white, and evil eyeball. The video that the webcam picked up was choppy and in grayscale. But I can still remember how neat I thought that whole thing was.
Times change, and technology gets better. And so has the quality and variety of uses of webcams. Sure, you can still use a webcam to watch the cat or a pot of coffee, or to record silly hijinks. But you can do much more with one. Like record high-quality videos and and do audio/video conferencing over the Web.
Like choosing any other peripheral, picking the right webcam can be tough. This TechTip looks at some of the factors you should consider when you decide that a webcam is for you.
Why buy a webcam anyway?
A webcam is definitely not for everyone. Let's be honest, unless you have a compelling reason to buy one chances are that a webcam will be way off your radar.
That said, there are a number of reasons to want to buy a webcam. As mentioned a few paragraphs ago, you might want to record first-person video tutorials. Or, you might be working remotely and need to video conference with colleagues and clients. Don't discount the lure of the Web cam for staying in touch with family and friends grandparents love them. On top of that, many people are now using them for face-to-face language exchange with learners and teachers in other countries. There are other reasons for getting a webcam, but this site is family-friendly so I won't mention them here
If you need one and have a desktop computer, then it's pretty much a given they you're going to get an external camera. But what about the folks who like to take their computing mobile? A number of laptop computers and just about every netbook out there comes with a built-in webcam. While the quality and resolution are good, they're not great. If need better resolution, or if you have an older laptop, then you really need an external webcam.
Resolution, resolution
That's usually the first thing that people look for when buying a webcam. A previous TechTip covering digital cameras talked about megapixels and how they weren't the most important factor when choosing a camera. With webcams, on the other hand, the situation is somewhat different.
While you won't get the resolution that you would with a digital camera, a good webcam can offer you up to two megapixels of resolution. About 1.3 megapixels is often enough for most purposes.
Also, consider the screen resolution of the video on your computer's monitor. The average webcam offers 320 pixels by 240 pixels. Which is OK, especially when you're working with a small screen on something like a netbook. With a laptop or desktop PC, you can do better. Double that, in fact 640 pixels by 480 pixels.
Framing the seconds
Related to resolution is the number of frames per second that the camera can process and send to your computer. Obviously, the larger the number of frames that the camera spits out per second means the better the video quality. Most webcams can handle between 10 and 30 frames per seconds. Fifteen frames per second is about average. With a webcam like that, the video will be a bit choppy, especially if you suddenly move. Some higher-end webcams can handle up to 120 frames per second. You probably won't need anything like that. Thirty to 50 frames per seconds is probably more than enough for most uses.
Lenses and sensors
The real world has to get into the webcam somehow. And that's through the lens and the sensor. Less expensive webcams use plastic lenses that are fixed. You can't change the focus. Better webcams have glass lenses which you can focus by twisting the collar around the lens. Most people can get by with a fixed lens. But if you can afford it (more on this later), try to get a webcam with a glass lens. A glass lens does a better job of moving light to the sensor. The sensor is, however, the key piece of the camera. It's the electronics that converts light into a digital image. There are two types of sensors: CMOS and CCD. CMOS sensors are still used in lower-cost webcams (and a few more expensive ones). CCD sensors (which are older technology) are regularly used in still digital cameras. While I've seen little evidence of the superiority of one sensor over another, some webcam users prefer models with CCD sensors. But as with a digital camera, you might want to find a webcam with a sensor that has strong light sensitivity and dynamic range. That way you get better video.
The price that's right
Luckily, webcams aren't as expensive as they used to be. You don't need to shell out hundreds of dollars anymore. If you check out Geeks.com, for instance, you can find webcams for under $10 (US).
Depending on your needs and your budget, you can get a very good webcam for between $50 and $80 dollars. If that's too rich for your blood, or if your needs are modest, then go with a model that costs between $20 and $30. You won't get the same resolution or video quality with the lower cost model, though.
Optional extras
As with any other gadget, there are a couple nice-to-have features that you can look for in a webcam if you so desire. The first of these is built-in audio. That could mean either a built-in microphone or a combination of a microphone and a speaker. With the latter, you don't need to worry about getting a chat headset or even a separate set of headphones. The drawback is that sometimes you're going to get feedback. Ouch! Most people I know get a webcam with a built-in microphone and use their headset or the earbuds from their MP3/MP4 players or iPods. You need to attach the webcam to your computer. So, you may also want find a webcam with a solid stand or clip. A clip is a must if you want to use the webcam with your laptop computer.
The need for speed
Something that's often overlooked is the need for a fast video card. The video card is doing a lot of the work processing the information that's coming from a webcam into a computer. If your webcam offers higher resolution and a high number of frames per second, then your video card will be doing a lot of work. If you're serious about using a webcam, you might want to consider upgrading your video card. Look for one with a fast graphics processor and a lot of memory. If you don't, you run into a lot of choppy video which is no fun.
Note: An upcoming TechTip will look at video cards.
Wrapping up
A webcam can not only be useful, it can be a lot of fun. And buying one doesn't need to be a painful chore filled with obscure jargon and tech talk. When you decide to go shopping, remember to take into account what you want to do with the webcam and keep the factors that this TechTip discusses in mind. That way, you'll be able to get the webcam that's right for you.
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Many people have purchased large screen flat panel televisions over the last few years and one of the cool by-products of having an HDTV is many will have a plethora of inputs that will allow you to view your desktop computer quickly and easily right on your television. Some of the geeky pleasures of having the ability to output your computer to a TV are showing off videos or photos on the big screen, and using it as a very large work or gaming screen. In this Tech Tip, we are going to look at some quick and easy methods for viewing your computer's output on your television (these tips work great for projectors as well).
What you will need:
The quick, cheap and basic way to get a computer to show up on a TV is to plug it in. If you have a desktop pc, you may be able to use the cable that you have right now going to your monitor. If you have a notebook computer, you’ll need to buy an additional cable(s).
Here’s the common inputs you’ll see:
VGA Cable This is the tried and true connector that we have seen on computers, well almost forever. This is the connector that nearly every HDTV will have. Sure you may not get the resolution you need, and it can’t play back protected content (think Blu-Ray movies), but it is quick and simple to use.
S-Video Some computers have it, some don’t – but S-Video is also a quick and easy way to get the computer screen working on the TV. The nice thing about S-Video is that it will many times work on standard resolution TVs if you still have one hanging around (the resolution is not that good, but it's a nice way to show off pictures).
DVI Cable DVI is a terrific format to use, not only because it can support very high resolutions, but also because it can support full resolution HDCP protected content (High Definition movies such as found with Blu-Ray). Because the signal is digital (VGA isn’t), you also tend to get a much better looking picture than you would than with VGA. The cable can cost more, and it doesn’t carry audio (you’d need a separate audio patch cable for that), however the next cable on our list does.
HDMI Cable For hooking a computer to an HDTV, this is definitely the way to go for many people because it's one cable that carries both video and audio, it supports HDCP protected content and high resolutions, and is relatively inexpensive. One drawback is that while many laptops have an HDMI connector, many desktops do not – so you’d need to add that port yourself (usually through a video card upgrade).
Wireless Some companies, such as IOGear also offer wireless solutions for both video and audio. Wireless tends not to support the higher resolutions, but can be alot of fun to use.
Tips...
Some common caveats to look out for:
You need to go into your video card “control panel”, use a function key or go into the video card properties to set up the computer for “dual monitor use” if you have a laptop or are leaving your main monitor connected if using a desktop. For TV display, most people just choose to “mirror” the display (same image appears on both monitors).
Unless you are using HDMI, you’ll need to run a separate audio cable for audio through the TV.
The highest resolution you can display is what can be supported by both the TV and the video card (it is just like a big monitor after all).
For Blu-Ray protected content, you’d need to set your output to the HDTV only – it will not usually display on both TV and monitor (you may also need to set the audio out to SPDIF for Blu-Ray movies to get the audio on the TV as well).
Some laptop computers tend to “lose” the audio capabilities of HDMI when using drivers not designed for the unit (even if it is a “recommended” update from your computer automatic updates).
You may need to “play” with the TV’s aspect ratio to make the computers output “fit” properly to the TV screen.
Be sure that you set the source on your TV to match the input you are using on the computer.
Make sure that the cables are plugged in all the way – it’s really easy for a cable to slip out “just a little”.
In Conclusion
Whether you want to show off some photos in a slide show or use your Entertainment PC for use as a Blu-Ray player, hooking up your computer to a HDTV is a great way to use your HDTV to its full capability. So fire up the PC, plug it in and let the fun begi
Four Password Managers To Wrangle Those Pesky Passwords
By Scott Nesbitt - August 30, 2009
Passwords. They're a blessing and a curse, aren't they? In today's digital world, we all seem to have passwords for … well, for everything. And a lot of passwords. For online banking, Web mail, e-commerce sites, our favorite Web applications, and more.
As many of us have learned, though, it can be hard to remember all of those passwords. If you forget a password, the kinds of sites mentioned in the last paragraph can either send you a password or reset it. But that's takes a bit of time and just adds to the confusion.
While you can write down your passwords in a paper notebook (remember those?) or in a file on your external hard drive, what happens if you lose the notebook or delete the file? Or if someone else gets hold of them? The situation will end in tears.
Instead of relying on your memory or more traditional ways of storing passwords, why not turn to a password manager?
Enter the password manager
A password manager is a piece of software that, obviously, lets you securely store and organize your various passwords. The software is usually designed for a desktop computer or a notebook computers, but password managers are also available for smartphones. The BlackBerry, for example, comes with one called Password Keeper.
The principle behind the password manager is simple. It stores your login information in an encrypted database or in a file hidden somewhere on your external hard drive. You enter your information using a simple form. This information can include:
The name of the Web site or service with which the password is associated
A user name
The password (of course)
Optionally, there might be space for entering a URL and a note.
Whenever you need a password, you just dip into the password manager and pull it out. Some applications, like Apple's Keychain Access, enable you to log into a Web site using a single password.
The obvious advantage to using this kind of software is convenience – you don't need to try to remember multiple user names and passwords, or worry about confusing them. They're all in one secure place. But what's out there? Let's take a look at a few.
Universal Password Manager
This is an interesting one. Universal Password Manager is an Open Source application that runs on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. You'll need Java installed on your computer to run this application, but the three operating systems on which it runs usually have Java installed already.
To get set up, you create a database for your passwords. From there, you can add your passwords to the database using a simple form.
Universal Password Manager has a nifty feature that lets you copy a user name or a password from an entry in the database, without having to double click on the entry. This is useful when you remember one or the other (it happens!).
The database is encrypted with a scheme called AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). It's not the strongest encryption but it works. While you can create multiple databases – for example, one for our desktop computer and one for your cheap netbook – Universal Password Manager is Web enabled. You can save a database to a Web server and point the application there. No matter what computer you’re using, you can always access your password store.
KeePass Password Safe
KeePass is sort of like a supercharged version of Universal Password Manager, though only for Windows. It comes in two versions. The Classic version, which has more than just basics features, and the Pro version, which needs Microsoft's .NET to run. You can compare the features of the two versions here.
Remember what I said about KeePass being Windows only? That's not quite true. The Classic version also runs in Linux under Wine, although the toolbar buttons go AWOL. And the developer says that the Pro version will run under any operating system, like Linux or Mac OS, that supports Mono (an Open Source version of .NET).
KeePass stores all of its information in a database that's encrypted with AES (told you it was like Universal Password Manager). You can have multiple databases, and add multiple groups to a database. Groups enable you to collect similar Web sites, applications, services in separate folders -- one, say, for Web applications, one for e-commerce sites, and another for banking information. This makes it easier to manage your passwords.
You can also tell KeePass to protect certain fields of the database -- like password or user name -- while the application is running. While you're using a database, or before you save it, this keeps the information safe from other applications, like trojans, that may try to read your computer's memory. What really sets KeePass apart from other password managers is its collection of plugins. There are plugins for importing passwords from other applications, managing databases, integrating KeePass with other software, and more.
GNOME Password Manager
If you're running Linux with the GNOME desktop, you've got a password manager already installed. Called GPass, you can find it under Applications > Accessories. It's a simple application but one that gets the job done.
To use it, you click the Add button on the toolbar. From there, enter whatever information you need. At the very least, you should specify a name to identify the information, a user name, and a password. Click OK and you're done. It's that simple.
Passwords are stored in a file, encrypted with the Blowfish encryption scheme, somewhere on your computer. I'll be darned if I can find that file ...
GPass lacks a lot of frills. But one useful feature that it shares with Universal Password Manager is the ability to copy user IDs and passwords by right clicking on an entry – you don't need to open it. GPass also has a decent search feature, which is useful if you have a lot of passwords.
Passpack
Passpack is a Web-based password manager. It's said to be quite secure. The login procedure itself is in three steps: enter your user name and password, then click a security image, then enter a passphrase.
Once you're in, it's easy to use. As with desktop password managers, Passpack has a form for entering a user name, a password, and a link to a Web site (if necessary). On top of that, Passpack shows you the strength of the password while you're typing it. I can't vouch for the accuracy of this. If you enter the entire alphabet and numbers from 0 to 9, the password will be considered fairly strong.
Passpack also has some useful tools. You can import and export password files to and from another password manager. There's an Adobe AIR application that lets you access your passwords from your desktop. On top of that, Passpack supports a feature that lets you specify sites to which you can login with a single click.
A few words of advice
If you're using an online password manager like PassPack, it's probably best not to add passwords for online banking, credit cards, or services like PayPal to it. The application might be secure, but you can never be 100% confident. The convenience could wind up costing you.
If your password manager has a feature that automatically generates password, don't use it. A good password is random. These applications generate passwords that aren't truly random. Instead, they're what's call pseudo random. You get a complex password, but there are tools available that can detect a pattern in the password and break it. It may not happen to you, but you never can tell.
And never, ever forget the password to get into your password manager. That seems like simple advice, but far too often people have let that password slip their minds. It's embarrassing, and I'm speaking from experience.
Conclusion
Wrangling your many and varied passwords isn't an art. It can be tough, but with the good password manager the job is a lot easier. You don't have to worry about potentially fallible human memory, and you'll eliminate the chaos that all of your passwords are causing you.
Computer hard drives. They're an essential component of your computing experience. While they're not as fragile as they were even 10 years ago, they're often one of the weak links in the chain of hardware that makes up a desktop computer or a laptop computer.
When something goes wrong with a hard drive, you can be in a lot of trouble. Especially if you haven't backed up your data recently. If you need that data – whether it's office documents, photos, videos, or all of the above – right now it can cost you. Professional data recovery can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. And there's no guarantee of success.
But before going that route, you might be able to do the job yourself if you're willing to get your hands dirty. How? All you need is a blank CD, a USB flash drive, and some Linux Live CD software.
More than just for a test drive
As discussed in a previous TechTip, Linux Live CDs are a great way to take Linux for a spin without installing it on your computer. But there are other Live CDs that perform special jobs.
What kinds of jobs? How about trying to fix a computer that's not playing nicely.
The situation
A few months ago, my wife's laptop (which ran Windows XP) wouldn't start properly. It would power up, then display a screen which informed her that the last shutdown wasn't completed properly. There were several boot options presented. But no matter which one my wife chose, Windows would try to start then the laptop would suddenly reboot. With the same message as before.
Nothing my wife or I tried worked. Instead of doing something drastic, like trying to reinstall Windows or Linux, or reformatting the hard drive, I tried starting the computer in safe mode, without the option to reboot automatically on an error. When I did this, the boot up stalled when XP was trying to load a driver called mup.sys. I did some research, and learned that mup.sys can get corrupted or infected with a virus. As it turned out, there was more to the problem than that.
I got the feeling that I might be able to salvage the hard drive. If nothing else, I figured I could get the most important files off that laptop.
To do that, I decided to turn to a Linux Live CD for help.
Getting the Live CD
In this case, the Live CD was actually a rescue CD. I looked at several, and on the recommendation of a couple of techie pals, I got my hands on one called SystemRescueCD.
SystemRescueCD comes with a number of utilities for analyzing and diagnosing problems with a hard drive or system memory, and for recovering from failures and errors. While SystemRescueCD comes with a very lightweight graphical user interface, most of the utilities are run from the command line.
If you need help with running the utilities, even if you are an experienced Linux user, then you should take the time to browse the documentation for SystemRescueCD.
It helps, believe me.
Burning the disk image
I downloaded an ISO image, which is literally a snapshot of the contents of a disk – in this case, a stripped-down Linux operating system and a bunch of utilities.
When you have an ISO image, you need to burn it to a blank CD as a disk image. In Windows, you can use a nifty freeware application called ISO Recorder. Just about every CD burning application for Linux allows you to burn an ISO image.
On Mac OS X, just select Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility, then choose Images > Burn.
Getting to work
Once I had the CD ready, I popped it into CD-ROM drive of my wife's laptop, and restarted it. Luckily, her laptop was set to boot from the CD-ROM drive. If this doesn't work for you, change this in your computer's BIOS settings. Depending on your computer, you do this by pressing F2 or ESC or DEL when the computer firsts starts up.
The first thing I did once the Live CD loaded was try to mount the Windows partition on the hard drive from the command line.
In Linux terms, mounting merely means getting access to a file system or drive.
The command I used was:
mount -t ntfs /dev/sda2 /mnt/windows -o ro
This tells the command to access an NTFS file system (the default used by Windows) via the device /dev/sda2 (which is how the Live CD detected the hard drive), and to let me access the drive using the directory /mnt/windows.
That worked. So, I plugged in one of my 4 GB USB flash drives and mounted that with the following command:
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usb1
This allowed me to get access to the flash drive via the directory /mnt/usb1.
I ran the command cd /mnt/windows to change to the Windows drive, and then navigated my way to the folder where my wife kept her files. Using the Linux copy command (cp), I then transferred the files over to the flash drive. That took a while; there were about 3GB of files there.
A pair of funny things happened when copying the files. First, some files refused copy over. Second, many of the files had long names. When they were copied over to the flash drive, the names got truncated and the a good chunk of those names were replaced with a tilde (~).
Trying to save the hard drive
While I managed to salvage most of my wife's files, I wanted to see if I could also save the hard drive. SystemRescueCD comes with a powerful utility that can help determine this called testdisk. Testdisk can do diagnostics on and recover hard disks. It has a text-based interface. You don't have to type commands, but instead selection option by tabbing, using the up and down arrow keys, and pressing Enter. It's like many DOS programs of yore.
I ran the first check by selecting the Analyse option. For some reason the program stalled. After killing testdisk, I looked at the log file that it produced. In the log file was an error message stating that there was a problem with the number of disk sectors. That's not a good sign. Disk sectors store large lumps of data. If they're damaged, a hard drive is usually toast.
Next, I ran a check on the physical cylinders of the hard drive by selecting the Deeper Search option. Testdisk got through about 97% of the deeper search, and it stalled too. That indicated that there was a physical problem with the hard drive and that there was no way I was going to save it.
Summing up
A Linux Live CD, especially one like SystemRescueCD, can be a good way of recovering your files if your computer starts acting up. A tool like SystemRescueCD is a bit geeky, and can be a tad difficult to use if you have no experience with backup software.
When you think of Open Source software, the first thing that comes to mind is probably Linux or maybe Mozilla Firefox. One not uncommon misconception about Open Source is that the software, except for certain applications, is only available for Linux.
Obviously, that's not true. There are countless Open Source applications for Windows (and Mac OS, too). It sounds strange creating free software for an operating system that's not free but Open Source gives Windows users a lot of flexibility and a number of solid alternatives to popular Windows apps.
This TechTip looks at a few alternatives to some popular Windows applications. These alternatives can save you money while giving you the features and functions that that you need to get things done.
Microsoft Office
It's no secret that Microsoft Office is the de-facto standard for productivity applications. Office is also quite expensive. If you want to buy a copy for your desktop computer or laptop computer, you can expect to shell out around $150 for the home version and about $400 for the full version. The funny thing about Microsoft Office is that, for many users, it contains more features and functions than they'll ever use.
The main Open Source competitor to Microsoft Office is OpenOffice.org. It's a complete suite of productivity applications -- a word processor (think Microsoft Word), a spreadsheet (think Excel), a presentation program (think PowerPoint), a drawing application, and a database. Each component is easy to use -- although it will take a bit of time to get used to the user interface -- and packs some features that Microsoft Office lacks, like the ability to output PDF files. OpenOffice.org can import and export Microsoft Office formats, although the quality of the results will depend on how complex the file is.
One interesting feature of OpenOffice.org is that you can expand it by using extensions. The extensions add a number of features, including an array of templates, the ability to connect to exchange files with Google Docs, enhance the charting capabilities, and more.
What happens if you only need a word processor? Then you should give AbiWord a look. It's small, it's fast, and it packs just about every feature that you'd need. Like what? How about columns, headers and footers, tables, mail merge, endnotes and footnotes. AbiWord also has a collaboration feature, which enables you to work on a document with others either on a local network or over the Web.
And like OpenOffice.org, you can extend AbiWord with plugins. A bunch come bundled with it -- ones for translation, connecting to online dictionaries and Wikipedia, doing a search with Google, and more. On top of that, AbiWord has decent support for Word files and can import and export to the format used by OpenOffice.org's word processor.
If, on the other hand, you want a simple but powerful spreadsheet then give Gnumerica look. Like Microsoft Excel, it supports a variety of mathematical functions (about 520of them) and graphing. There are also a number of tools in Gnumeric for doing mathematical analysis, and it can import and/or export over 20 other file formats including Excel.. The only major function of Excel that Gnumeric lacks is pivot tables. That's on the list of priorities for the developers, though.
Outlook
There's no arguing that Microsoft Outlook is the most popular email application on the Windows desktop -- whether in its full version or as Outlook Express, which ships with Windows. While there are a large number of email clients on the Open Source side of the fence, only one can compete with Outlook in the areas of features and functions. And that application is Mozilla Thunderbird.
Thunderbird is one of those applications that really packs a lot, but isn't really slowed down by all that bulk. Much like Outlook, you can use Thunderbird to connect to multiple email accounts and to send either plain text or HTML emails. Thunderbird also enables you to connect to Web-based email services like Gmail and Yahoo! Mail. You can download messages from your Web-based accounts, and send them using whatever email address you want.
Another feature that brings a bit more flexibility to Thunderbird is that, like Outlook, it supports both POP and IMAP email. IMAP support makes it easier to synchronize Thunderbird with the messages on an email server.
Thunderbird also has a number of other useful features, like the ability to tag messages. By defining tags, you can label your messages by their importance and by their function -- for example: Work, Personal, Writing.
You can make up for any deficit in Thunderbird's features by using add-ons. And there are a lot of them -- several hundred, in fact. The available add-ons expand the ways in which you read messages and work with contacts, turn the app into an RSS feed reader, enhance Thunderbird's privacy and security features, and even add a flexible calendar. You can also install themes to change the look and feel of the application.
Windows Media Player
Back in the old days of computing, Windows Media Player was a lean and fast little audio and video app. But it got way too big for its boots. It's now a DVD player, an iTunes wannabe, a CD ripper, an interface to MP3 players. Just to name a few. Many people I know complain that it's slow, bloated, and buggy. Why settle for more when you can something a little smaller? That's where these two Open Source alternatives come in.
VLC (short for Video LAN Client) is a wonderfully compact, yet powerful audio and video player. It supports a large number of formats -- far more than any other media player that I've used. In fact, VLC has been able to play media files that other players -- including Windows Media Player -- have balked at. With some media files, like Windows AVI, VLC even repairs damaged files. Not always, but often better than any other desktop media player I've tried.
In addition to audio and video files that are on your hard drive or home network, VLC can also play CDs, DVDs, and streaming audio and video from the Web. With streaming media, you can use VLC to either stream audio or video on to a network or save a stream to a file.
Editing photos and drawing
No matter who you are, there comes a time (usually more than one) when you need to edit a photo taken with a digital camera or create a diagram for a school paper or for work. The big commercial software players in that space are Adobe's Photoshop and Illustrator, and Microsoft Visio. Again, for the majority of users the Open Source alternatives can more than hold their own.
Editing photos
The best-known Open Source photo and image editor is The GIMP(GNU Image Manipulation Program). With The GIMP, you can retouch photos, manipulate them in a variety of ways -- from resizing and cropping to flipping them on their axes -- and convert images to other formats. The GIMP comes with a large number of filters for applying effects to an image. And it comes with over 40 tools for modifying and just plain messing with photos and graphics. All in all, it's a more than fairly complete editing package.
More than a couple of people have whined that The GIMP doesn't look like Photoshop!That's where GIMPshop comes in. GIMPshop changes the look of The GIMP and even the names of the menus and their items to better match those of Photoshop. Note, though, that GIMPshop doesn't support the wide array of (frankly wicked) Photoshop plugins. However, it can use The GIMP's plugins.
Don't forget the diagrams
Photos aren't the only type of images that people work with. Whether you're a student or a professional, diagrams and flowcharts are also very important. Instead of putting a dent in your bank account to the tune of several hundred dollars for Illustrator or Visio, give these Open Source apps a try.
First up, Inkscape. Inkscape is a vector drawing tool. Whereas photos and other graphics are made up of little blocks, vector drawings consist of lines and curves. This makes software like Inkscape perfect for creating diagrams or line drawings.
Using Inkscape, you can combine lines and curves, and add text or even import bitmap graphics to enhance a drawing. It's not just black and white, either. You can add color or fill portions of a diagram with a specific color. You can also use Inkscape to create 3D images. Inkscape user have created a variety of different graphics with it, ranging from icons to backgrounds for Web pages to book covers. In fact, Inkscape includes a wizard the enables you to generate the template for a book layout based on the number of pages in that book.
Inkscape's native file format is SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics). However, you can export an Inkscape file to various bitmap graphic formats like PNG, BMP, JPG, and PDF. Very useful if you want to pull the your drawings into another program.
Dia, on the other hand, is designed for creating flow charts and technical diagrams. Like Microsoft Visio, Dia uses shapes and lines to build a diagram or flow chart. It's not a pretty application, but it's easy to use and gets the job done nicely.
As you might expect, Dia comes with a library of shapes (called objects). Most of them are aimed at programmers, engineers, and network administrators. That said, you can use the object and Dia itself for any purpose. I know people who use it to create organizational charts and to do basic information architecture for Web sites.
As with Inkscape, you can save Dia diagrams in various bitmap graphics formats including EPS, SVG, and PDF.
Wrapping up
Open Source isn't just for Linux. Windows users can take advantage of the offerings from the Open Source ecosystem, too. Look around. You never know what you might find. In fact, you might just turn up a replacement for a favorite Windows application.
Favorites
Digg
Del.icio.us
Furl
Magnolia
StumbleUpon
Google
Yahoo MyWeb
Right- click on any of the icons, and you get a “Jump List” that shows the recent files (or web pages) used by that program – and yes, you can pin your favorites there too. Windows 7 makes navigating downright fun and fast.
With Windows 7, 
Honestly, if you already have a webcam, then you know all the cool things that you can do. From video conferencing, to VoIP (think Skype) to just goofing around and uploading a video to YouTube – a webcam enhances your PC experience.
You might recall a 
OpenID isn't software. The 
The signup process is simple. You choose a user name, which is tacked on to the domain name of the provider. For example, http://YourName.claimid.com. You also need to create a password and enter an email address. 
The main advantage of using OpenID is that you only need one user name and password for the Web sites that you use. You'll no longer need to tax your memory or confuse one login with another. 
As mentioned a couple of paragraphs ago, you might be using a netbook, an older desktop computer or 
One feature of Pixlr Editor that some photographers might find useful is the ability to add 
If you're looking for something that's simple, then 
The resize feature has a set of pre-set sizes to which you can shrink a photo. You can choose sizes in pixels or as a percentage of the original file. You can also set a custom size in pixels.
This is one of the two Flash-based editors mentioned in this TechTip. As such, you'll want to make sure that you have the latest 
The functions under the Create tab enable you to add a whack of nifty, funky, and downright strange effects. Like what? You can convert a color photo to black and white or 
As with Pixlr, you can add layers to a photo that you're editing in FotoFlexer. You can also insert another image (without a layer), add text, and apply over a dozen effects to a photo. If you're so inclined, you can also distort a photo in a number of ways and add animated shapes to your photo. The latter isn't my thing, but obviously there's a market for it … 
You get your shiny new PC delivered via FedEx. As you start to unpack and assemble that puppy, you realize that the peripherals (if they even have any) are usually of the most basic kind. Its then that you realize that you need to Pimp Your PC with peripherals. In this 
Nothing quite makes or breaks the PC experience like a quality keyboard. Sure, that keyboard packed with your PC, (or built in - as in the case of laptops), may be adequate for the basic computer experience so unless you got one of those Macs with that snazzy 
Lets get down to business. With a keyboard, you need something that is not only well made and durable but something that works for what you want to get out of it. When it comes to keyboards, you have 
Getting just the right mouse for your computer can make all the difference in the world. While a good keyboard can make or break the computer experience, mice run a close second. Standard mice basically come in three flavors: 
Even though optical mice work with a variety of surfaces, you may still find that you need a mouse pad (some companies such as Fellowes make mouse pads specifically for optical mice).
I can remember my first encounter with a 
Like record high-quality videos and and do audio/video conferencing over the Web.
That's usually the first thing that people look for when buying a webcam. A 
The real world has to get into the webcam somehow. And that's through the lens and the sensor. Less expensive webcams use plastic lenses that are fixed. You can't change the focus. Better webcams have glass lenses which you can focus by twisting the collar around the lens. Most people can get by with a fixed lens. But if you can afford it (more on this later), try to get a webcam with a glass lens. A glass lens does a better job of moving light to the sensor. The 
As with any other gadget, there are a couple nice-to-have features that you can look for in a webcam if you so desire. The first of these is built-in audio. That could mean either a built-in microphone or a combination of a 
Many people have purchased large screen 
VGA Cable
Wireless 
Whether you want to show off some photos in a slide show or use your Entertainment PC for use as a Blu-Ray player, hooking up your computer to a HDTV is a great way to use your HDTV to its full capability. So fire up the PC, plug it in and let the fun begi
For online banking, Web mail, e-commerce sites, our favorite Web applications, and more.
Computer 
As discussed in a 
This tells the command to access an NTFS file system (the default used by Windows) via the device /dev/sda2 (which is how the Live CD detected the hard drive), and to let me access the drive using the directory /mnt/windows.
While I managed to salvage most of my wife's files, I wanted to see if I could also save the hard drive. SystemRescueCD comes with a powerful utility that can help determine this called 
When you think of Open Source software, the first thing that comes to mind is probably Linux or maybe Mozilla Firefox. One not uncommon misconception about Open Source is that the software, except for certain applications, is only available for Linux.
