Technology Made Easy

Recently I have tried to use the Camtasia Studio 6 program versus my trusty version 5. What I found out bothered me so bad I had to let you know…

Don’t Upgrade if you want to make FLV videos in Camtasia!!

I create a lot of videos for the web and membership sites. I record, edit, enhance, and produce 90% of them in Camtasia 5. I have had a chance to upgrade to version 6. So I downloaded it, tried it out, and found out that you CAN’T make FLV’s from the new version.

It only creates SWF / MP4 videos. Now if you are making content for Ipods or other portable devices that might be great. But not for me, I have another tool that batches those jobs just fine. And I got it for free! Not like this Camtasia Upgrade. Cost me over $150 to upgrade and it doesn’t have the one feature I use the most.

With an exception to the added coding to make re-rendering, resizing and producing videos more smoothly with less errors or redo’s [ I hate wasting time on redo's] then it IS a pretty nice peace of software. Also I have to hand it o techsmith for coming up with some pretty awesome tools, when there were way overpriced, under performing tools that couldn’t do half the things camtasia or snagit for that matter.

That being said is still no excuse for removing the FLV option. I can’t use SWF’s for what I do, and most of the videos your looking at online are streaming FLV’s anyways, so save yourself the trouble and DON’T Upgrade to Camtasia 6.

At least not until they put the FLV back into it.

As the saying goes, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not gonna take it any more…” so I did something about it, and its hear to stay.

Does your computer run much slower than you when you first got it?Are programs taking too long to load?

If your answer to any of these questions is YES, then you probably have some kind of bug in your system.

Your computer slowing down isn’t a natural degradation of your PC, only if you fill up your hard drive should you notice a change in your computers speed.

The problem is more than likely to be parasitic software’s that are leeching your PC’s resources. These parasites are most commonly called spyware or adware. These nasty programs are referred to as Malware. They do a lot more than just slow down your computer however.

There are a few telling signs that you have some sort of spyware or adware (almost all web users have at least some form of it.)

• Your Computer runs much slower than it used to
• If you’ve ever downloaded music or movies off of the web from an ad filled webpage
• You often find yourself closing obnoxious popups or removing software that you don’t recall installing
• You find your default web page changed without your approval
• The websites you want to look at suddenly changes to another page you didn’t click on or want to go to?

Sound familiar?

If you think these are just expected, when in fact it is most likely due to viruses such as spyware and adware infecting the system.

Just because you often browse the internet and popups fly out of every direction doesn’t mean that it’s the website’s fault. In most circumstances (for good sites anyways) it is actually some code on your PC causing it.

Hearing the word spyware tends to evoke an image of never-ending popups for most web users. The biggest problem with these parasites is that most users don’t know just how dangerous they can actually be. The truth is, you have way more to worry about than just those annoyances. Not only are you risking your privacy by having spyware, but you’re risking your life as you know it.

That last statement may seem a bit drastic, but it isn’t. What spyware is really capable of is a very scary notion.

Not only can it track every website that you visit, but it can track the information that you provide to said site. If you go to your online banking account and enter your information, spyware has the ability to transmit all of your bank information back to its creator.

It doesn’t stop there either. More often than not, once this information is transmitted to the spyware’s author, they then sell it to hundreds or thousands of individuals. That means your bank information, social security number, and charge card numbers could be sitting in hundreds of people’s emails.

That is how identity theft really happens.

Spyware and adware are beatable. There are free tools that will help you get rid of it. If you want to keep your privacy on the internet, you’ll need to rid yourself of any spyware and adware that inhabits your PC.

There are so many tools these days that say they get rid of spyware and adware that you just don’t know which ones to trust.  So don’t wait for you to have your computer break down from bugs and spyware, clean it out before it’s too late!

Connection that is…

My Comment in response to a blog post at MIT Technology Review:

Yes it is (amazing that it all works) in those moments between complete high-speed bliss and the shattering reality of when it comes to a screeching halt.

Your internet connection and what systems you use to access is it, is as precarious as our water and power supplies, and just as fragile and prone to sudden death without much warning.

I for one have used many of the standard connections, like comcast cable, simply because if the cable goes out, something Major happened.

I don’t trust wireless providers to entrust my Metaverse connection to. Maybe when we have Global WiMax then I will consider the future of wireless computing a little closer to the dream of unfettered Metaversing.

On TV and in the movies, we have seen a variety of computers being used in homes and offices.More often you see someone whip out a notebook and perform work on the spot.

Does that mean that notebooks are the computers to get? Lets review some aspects of computers and you decide which one is best for your needs.

Myth #1: Portable computers cost more.

so unless you really have the need for one, you get a lot more for your money with a regular desktop PC. The major thing is portability and accessibility. If you need access to information or to take action right now,  then get a laptop. (“Laptop,” “portable,” and “notebook” all refer to the same thing, by the way). Otherwise, a desktop computer is a better buy, and better economically. However they take up more space and you have to come back to it to get work done.

The Price Difference is only the Beginning

You might wonder why laptops cost more than desktop computers with comparable features and power. It is largely because it’s more expensive to manufacture laptops and their parts, because of their small size. For portable computers such as notebooks, factors such as compactness, the amount of heat they generate, their weight, and power consumption are more essential than they are for desktops. Also their processing power and memory are factors that add to their manufacturing costs.

Myth #2: Notebooks don’t have a lot of space

While notebooks are certainly compact, a desktop computer with a flat panel monitor can take up almost as little space, depending on the box configuration. While called a “desktop” computer, the computer itself is most often kept on the floor. That leaves just the monitor, keyboard and mouse on the desk, which is really very similar in footprint to a moderately sized notebook computer.

A major way to further reduce the space taken up by a desktop computer is get a keyboard drawer to hide the keyboard and mouse. That way, they slide out of the way under the top of the desk when they aren’t needed. Thus saving space and giving you more room to work.

Be Mindful of Ergonomics:

Comfort and ease of use can mean everything to your computer experience. Ergonomics is the science of designing and arranging things so that people can interact with them more comfortably and safely.

The elementary ergonomic principals for computer use tell us that:

1) the keyboard should be as close to your lap level as possible (assuming you touch-type), and your mouse at a close reach also.

2) the monitor should be about arm’s length in front of you, and your wrists in a natural position over your keyboard.

3) the top of the monitor should be at about your eye level.  When possible use a stand to hold the notebook at an ideal angle. That ways its easier to read and doesn’t strain your neck looking down at the screen.

It is obvious then, that a desktop computer is much better ergonomically than a notbook is. For prolonged use,  you’re much better off with a desktop computer. However you may find that a notebook with the right sizing to your hands and lap may serve you well and provide mobility where a desktop will not.

Don’t Forget Usability

Another aspect of ergonomics to consider is usability. Because of size constraints, laptops have less scalability than desktop PCs. Desktops can be updated upgraded and enhanced. Whereas a notebook is only as good as what it was bought having built into it. There is only so much you can change on a notebook. You can add memory, both RAM and Hard Drive capacity, but only to certain limit. Also you can’t change the monitor size. Desktops all you need to do is swap out your smaller monitor for a larger one. No other additonal parts or cables required, its truly plug-and-play when it comes to desktop monitors. The same goes for keyboards, mice, printers, scanners and the lot.

Notebooks you have to buy with those features built in, and the more you want the higher the price. But for many on the go or those who like having their information and programs at arms reach anywhere, the cost of a notebook is worth the trade-off of not having to come back to home or the office to get those needed files.

Myth#3: Notebooks are hard to see what your working on

Computer monitors can be set at different resolutions. In other words, you can change the fineness of the image on the screen. The range is typically 1024×768 — that is 1024 pixel across and 768 pixels up and down — to 1900×1600, or even higher. At 1024×768, the icons and such appear quite readable ; at 800×600, they are substantially smaller. The most common resolutions today for desktop computers are 1024×768 and 1280×1024.

Also screen resolution has to work with your screen size. If you have a 15″ monitor or smaller then 1024×768 is about as big a resolution you can use. Whereas a screen of 17″ up to 32″ can have resolutions much higher, meaning you can fit more windows and files on the screen.

Something They Don’t Tell You

Laptop displays have a native resolution. You can adjust the setting, but then the images and text don’t look good if you go higher than recommended. While people tend to think that bigger numbers are better, a higher screen resolution may not work as well for you. It may make everything too small to see comfortably.

Remember, the laptop’s screen is commonly smaller that a desktop’s. While a typical desktop computer screen is 17″ or so, a laptop’s is usually in the range of 14″ to 15.” That makes a large difference in what you can view at one time. Make sure you can see everything clearly before choosing a high-resolution laptop.

Conclusions

Notebooks::

Pros - they are light, portable, and have many of the same capacities of desktops without all the cords and accessories.

Cons – they cost 2-3 times more than a desktop, are limited by built in features such as screen and keyboard size. They aren’t easily upgraded. However these are some of the selling points for buying a notebook. They do what you bought it to do.

Desktops::

Pros -They are more affordable and come with many great features out of the box, speed, screen size and ergonomic design of keyboard and monitor has made desktops a great starter to those new to computing.

Cons – They are bulky, take up much more power, have tons of cords and accessories to plug in. You have to come back to it to get work done, and they are difficult to move around, even in the same room.

My suggestion is to consider what you do that requires a computer. Just to get work and emails now and then, get a desktop. If you are an avid internet users, are on the go with work and home, and like the ability to have all your information at arms reach, get a notebook. Each have their uses and their detraction’s, its up to you what you get out of it.

Blogging is an idea that started in the 1990s. At that time it was a way to comment on an existing webpage, where readers could declare their opinion on the page. What started as a single-sentence commentary has now evolved into pages of individual opinion on just about anything and everything you can imagine. As blogging continues to move forward, it has evolved into a method of earning extra money while giving your 2 cents.

Here are 5 reasons why you ought to use a blog as an Internet marketing tool to make extra money.

1. Blogging is incredibly simple to do. The simplest way to get started on the net is with a blog. No skills are required except to have an opinion or new view point. It is like having a virtual journal where you write your ideas, experiences, new products you have found, and trust that the truth about your opinion come out and encourages your readers to try the product, or avoid it based on your experiences. If you have a Computer with an Internet connection, and have an opinion (who doesn’t?) then you can blog.

2. Blogging is all about people, not just products.In a time where advertising saturates our lives, we have come to question the trustworthiness of the praises and promises made.

On the other hand, within blogs, real people share their experiences, unscathed by big advertisers. Reading blogs regarding personal product use is like getting advise from a good friend. Why buy or use something or some service if someone you trust won’t?

If you are completely truthful, you can gain someone’s trust through your experiences.

3. Most Blogs are free of charge. Since blogging requires no more skills than having an Internet connected computer and a desire to share your opinion or experience it’s a sure way to get started on your way to building some G-cred(google credibility).

4. Blogging builds your authority. If you are sincere and upfront when giving your thoughts on a particular product or industry, your readers will start to realize that they can rely on your posts for their information. As you become known as an expert on your subject, more readers will go to your site and more bloggers will link to your blogs.

As businesses and specialized organizations notice the increase of your readership base, they may get in touch with you to ask if they can advertise on your blog, or request you to be an affiliate of their product or service.

5. Blogging increases your market. Unless you are a movie or sports star, chances are only your relatives will see your blog in the beginning. But as you create new high-quality content, your posts will begin to be noticed and get additional people visiting. Your visitor statistics will grow, your opportunity to be known as a great source of information grows, which equals more chances to make money.

Blogging is quickly replacing e-mail in efficiently reaching and expanding a market. In an age where people are annoyed with the number of e-mails they receive, you can simplify their life by offereing them all the information they need with your blog. If you use the right methods, and continuously update your blog with sincere and new subject matter, you can certainly get set-up to make extra money on the Internet. So, provide your business an enhancment by implementing a blog as a powerful tool to reach new people and make money by advertising products and services that you recommend.

Remember the more trust and honest your blogging, the more people will follow your blog and believe that you are helping them. Break that trust and all your work will be forgotten. I trust you will do the right thing. Be honest with yourself and your readers then you have nothing to lose.