When taking photos it is a really good idea to try varying the angle of on the subject to see if you can frame the photo differently. With digital cameras it's easy to take multiple pics of the same thing from a lots of different angles. Try lying or kneeling down, especially if taking photos of kids. Or climb up on a ladder or a fence. Whatever you do try to brace yourself so you can keep the camera steady. Oh and don't fall off!

Here's a link to a page showing a number of photos taken at angles that produce cool results. Click the pic see more examples.

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Phil has asked us a question today:

Hi Matt
I am having problems with my Ad-Aware program. The last 2 week when I look for up date it tells I am 20 days since I up dated but when I connect to up date the program it tells me no new up dates available.  This week it still tells me I am 27 days since I up dated. Now when I connect to up date it tell me there is an error in connecting. I can still run the program and it still, some times find, bugs and it will let me get rid of them. Do you know any problems in connecting to Ad Aware this year or what I can do to find out what is happening. See you all next month.  Phil

Ad-Aware is an Anti-Spyware type product. The SE version is free and there are paid versions too. It has had good reviews over the years along with programs like Spybot Search and Destroy and Microsoft Windows Defender. I have used it in the past and found it quite good. Most people recommend using more than one scanner over your system in case one picks up what the other missed. Note you should only run 1 scanner all the time in the background as the 2 will conflict if run simultaneously.

These scanners do rely on 'signature' files just like Anti-Virus and thus need regular updating to combat new nasties that emerge. I remember a while back there was a buzz around the net against Lavasoft (the makers of Ad-aware) as they dropped of the map for a while. There were no updates to the program or the signature files so I was thinking this may have happened again.

I did a Google search which turned up lots of results from 2 years ago. I then did an advanced search and set the date to be articles/pages from the last month.

This led me to some discussions on the Lavasoft forums such as this one: Lavasoft Support Forums

Turns out what has happened is that Lavasoft have a new product out called "Ad-Aware 2007". You can't update your old SE version to this one, it's a whole new program. Updates for this product are being issued by Lavasoft and it seems to be an improvement over the old version in all ways but one.

The issue is that the new product doesn't work on Windows 95, 98 or ME.
It does work if you use Windows 2000, XP or Vista.

So Phil if you have Windows 2000 or newer then the best bet is:

1. Uninstall the old version of Ad-Aware
2. Download the new free version here: Ad-Aware 2007 Free
3. Install the new version and run updates as usual

As an alternative if you use a 'legal' version of Win XP you could give Microsoft Windows Defender a try. It's what I use on my XP systems but it doesn't work on older OS either.

It seems there may be some unofficial updates available for the old Ad-Aware SE product for those users whose Windows version hasn't come into the new millennium :)

 This Lavasoft Security Centre page has a link to a new definitions file that you can download. It looks like this
and is on the top right:

It is just a zip file so you will need to read the help file in your old Ad-Aware SE program to work out how to use this to manually update your program.

But don't do this if you have a newer OS. Just download the new version and run with it

 

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I thought there was really some useful tips there. Living in a small town I don't often have the parking issue and lets just say that checking if my hair is ok before the party is not a concern :). But a photo of something, a place or whatever, as a reminder of a date is brilliant as the date and time is stored with the picture. Photos of complex items like cables could also be helpful.

The cameras in newer mobile phones are getting better. Most are 2megapixel and some are 4 or 8 megapixel. But that's only half the story as the lens in a camera is more telling of the photo quality than the megapixels alone. So the lens in a mobile phone will never be the best and most stand alone digital cameras will be better.

In some instances a higher resolution photo would be better - e.g. if you want to scan the text or have fine detail to prove the dints on your rental car. So if you have easy access to your digital camera for these sort of things then use it instead

I am going to use that grocery list one though - I always forget something! And I don't know about you but I carry my mobile all the time and hardly ever use it so this might make it a little more useful!

Some creative and productive uses of camera mobile phones (and digital cameras):

Computer Screen Capture - You can use the Mobile Phone cameras for capturing screenshots of error messages that popup while you are reinstalling a copy of Windows or modifying some BIOS settings. In situations like the dreaded Blue Screen, Print-Screen key is useless but any phone-cam will get the job done.

Remember Dates - Some time back, I had gone to a nursery school for submitting the admission form of my son. I don’t remember the exact date now but luckily, I had snapped a picture of the school and so that date is automatically stored with the image.

Cable Connections - Before removing the cables from your home theatre system, gaming console or the computer, it is a good idea to capture the connections with your phone camera. Then you won’t have problems plugging the cables again in the right ports as the pictures will show you “what goes where”.

Use Mobile Phone as a Web Camera - There are some free utilities that will convert your mobile phone camera into a web cam for your computer. You can use the web camera via a USB cable or wirelessly through Bluetooth.

Car Parking - Most shopping malls here have huge underground parking but there aren’t any signboards so it gets tough to locate the car. So when you park the car, just look towards the escalator (or the exit door) and take a picture or record some video. This will save lot of effort (and time) when you return with all those heavy shopping bags.

Scan Printed Documents - Mobile phone camera can work as scanners for capturing clippings of text from newspapers, library books and printed magazines. Just photograph the page and use a service like Qipit or ScanR that extract the text out of pictures taken with a mobile phone. (See “Use Mobile Phone as a Scanner“)

Replace Paper and Pen - Your wife has prepared a long list of items that you are supposed to pick from the grocery story. Why tear down that paper from the diary or put extra pressure on your memory - just click. You can also use the camera phone for capturing information written on whiteboards, subway maps and notice boards.

Google Maps and Directions - You are travelling and need the driving directions from Google Maps onto your mobile phone. If your phone has no Internet or you are not too sure how to transfer data from computer to the phone, just open Google Maps, press F11 for full screen and click with your phone.

Rent A Car - If you are taking a car on rent, capture all the areas with dents and scratches so that you don’t run into a dispute when returning the car to the agent. Thanks CraftyGirl.

Security Weapon - Before you board a taxi in some unknown place, take a picture of the license plate and driver details that are generally written near the passenger seat. Email the picture to your spouse or friend as a security measure.

Shopping Alone - If you are in a store shopping without your spouse, get his/her opinion on the stuff you are about to purchase by emailing pictures though your phone. A word of caution here - some shop owners may consider your action as “digital shoplifting” and this may lead to an embarrassing situation.

As a Mirror - When you are about to reach the party, take a self-picture with your mobile phone to make sure that that makeup and hair style is in perfect condition.

Interesting Uses of Camera Mobile Phones To Stay Productive

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If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch, "Who's on First?" might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

Abbott: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

Costello: Thanks. I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

Abbott: Mac?

Costello: No, the name's Lou.

Abbott: Your computer?

Costello: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

Abbott: Mac?

Costello: I told you, my name's Lou.

Abbott: What about Windows?

Costello: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

Abbott: Do you want a computer with Windows?

Costello: I don't know. What will I see when I look at the windows?

Abbott: Wallpaper.

Costello: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

Abbott: Software for Windows?

Costello: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses and run my business. What do you have?

Abbott: Office.

Costello: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

Abbott: I just did.

Costello: You just did what?

Abbott: Recommend something.

Costello: You recommended something?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: For my office?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

Abbott: Office.

Costello: Yes, for my office!

Abbott: I recommend Office with Windows.

Costello: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

Abbott: Word.

Costello: What word?

Abbott: Word in Office.

Costello: The only word in office is office.

Abbott: The Word in Office for Windows.

Costello: Which word in office for windows?

Abbott: The Word you get when you click the blue "W" .

Costello: I'm going to click your blue "W" if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

Abbott: Money.

Costello: That's right. What do you have?

Abbott: Money.

Costello: I need money to track my money?

Abbott: It comes bundled with your computer.

Costello: What's bundled with my computer?

Abbott: Money.

Costello: Money comes with my computer?

Abbott: Yes. No extra charge.

Costello: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

Abbott: One copy.

Costello: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

Abbott: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

Costello: They can give you a license to copy money?

Abbott: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

Abbott: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

Costello: How do I turn my computer off?

Abbott: Click on "START".............

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My mate Clinton who lives in Brisbane these days has asked me a question

Hi mate - Quick question... is it possible to download a video from Youtube?

Obviously I need to subscribe Clinton to the Mullies email list! We have touched on this before and there are many ways to download internet video

I wrote about one in our blog about 4 months ago here:
Easiest way to save Youtube videos

Otherwise there are programs or browser plugins you can install.
I use this one in Firefox Video DownloadHelper

What I didn't touch on before is what to do once the video is downloaded. Most internet video is in a proprietary format that average media players like the Windows Media Player can't play. Youtube videos are in the FLV format

So once you save the file you have 2 choices

1. Use a media player that can play these kind of clips
   The most recommended media players are Media Player Classic and VLC both of which are open source and available here
   http://www.videolan.org/
   http://sourceforge.net/projects/guliverkli/
   VLC gets a lot of wraps as it is self contained ad doesn't rely on the codecs already installed in Windows. But I like MPC better. It will play the FLV and allows seeking (Fast Forward and Rewind) that VLC doesn't do well
   
2. Convert the file to a different format
   I found this the other day and it is excellent and also open source
   WinFF
   It will convert files between all different formats for use on portable devices (phones, ipods) and can even prepare files to DVD movie format ready to burn
   I've tried a couple and this one is very easy and quite fast plus you can't be that price - free!
   The program is developed by a fellow called BigMatt (no relation!) and is a front end to another open source program. Highly recommended

So there you go. Now you can download all the files you like and watch them or convert them to watch later on any device.

If you haven't checked out Youtube there is an incredible amount of video on there. There is a lot of entertainment stuff but also a lot of instructional and demonstration videos. For example I have saved a couple of videos recently on things as diverse as:

• how to sharpen a kitchen knife (ready for the Xmas turkey)
• how to chop certain vegetables for stir frying
• how to perform certain functions in MYOB (to give to Rhonda and the nice ladies at the Milton-Ulladulla Meals on Wheels, and
• a load of humorous and sporting clips.

Youtube works if you only have dial up but would be so slow you probably would give up. If you find a video you really would like just let me know and I will download it for you. :)

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Following on from our previous article about Photo Story

Refer the previous post/article here: How to create a multimedia photo movie

Hi Matt

Have just received your email with regard to Photo story 3 for windows.
I was very interested in it.  Would I have to download previous  No 1 or 2 to be able to use this program to its full  potential?

Thanks for the question Joy

This is version 3 - obviously there was originally a version 1 & 2. You do not need an earlier version to download and install version 3 and use it's full features

And of course it is completely free - Thanks Microsoft!

The program will work very well without any other paid software. You do not need to pay for the DVD burning plug-in referred to in the article ($20US for the plug-in - you can get Nero for that!). Most CD/DVD burning programs will burn the discs - there are free ones like DeepBurner if you don't have Nero/Roxio or similar

The link to the download site in the original email/article does not work - it's out of date
Here are a couple of links that do work:
Microsoft Link
Download.com
If you go to the MS link you will need to prove you have a valid copy of Windows XP to download the grogram but not at Download.com

The program is just over 5mb in size so even on dial-up it won't take that long to download. Note this program is only for Windows XP
If you have Win 95/98/ME - sorry
If you have Vista then Windows Movie Maker incorporates all the functions of Photo Story

Last but not least check out this site www.windowsphotostory.com 
It has lots of detailed step by step guides on how to use Photo Story
I'd forgotten but I used this when I made my project and it is really well made and helpful

Good luck with the Movie Making!

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I thought this was cool - especially if you are a Beatles fan MATT

An interactive version of the famous album cover lets you discover more about the famous faces.

The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography has a nifty feature on the famous Beatles album cover for Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart's Club Band.

Go here and move your mouse over the cover.

A tooltip will appear with the name and sometimes occupation of the person.

Click on the face to jump to a full biography in most cases --  but not all, poor old Stuart Sutcliffe (far left, above Sonny Liston) gets passed over yet again.

I could have done with that web page about 35 years ago when pouring over the cover to work out who they all where -- could have won a few bets.

Sgt. Peppers revealed - Office Watch

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Hey Mullies

WE all love Win XP. I now use Vista most of the time but I would never recommend upgrading a machine to Vista. Next time you buy a new machine get Vista but in the meantime stick with Win XP.

The good news is that MS are about to release a Service Pack # 3 for XP. This service pack  "includes all patches, bug fixes and security updates ever released" for XP. So it will be easy to make an updated XP install CD which will have all the patches and fixes up to the date of release.

Please note this is a Release Candidate only - so it is probably fine but I would wait another 2 or 3 weeks till it goes gold before proceeding.

"Slipstreaming" the Service Pack with the original CD is not too hard - maybe we could show that soon at Mullies. It might be time to do a refresh/reinstall of XP just to keep your system running along nicely and catching up any patches or updates you may have missed.

Once the Service Pack is finalised I will download it and make a CD copy for anyone who wants one.

Cheers

MATT

Microsoft has just added the Windows XP Service Pack 3 (release candidate) installer to their download website.

This Windows XP SP3 installer weighs around 336 MB and includes all patches, bug fixes and security updates ever released by Microsoft since the launch of Windows XP OS.

Nothing major introduced in XP SP3 but there’s a new activation scheme which will not require a product key during XP installation on a new machine.

And unlike XP SP1 or SP2, you can easily uninstall XP SP3 from your PC using the Add Remove programs module.

Release notes for XP SP3

Download Link [windowsxp-kb936929-sp3-x86-enu.exe]

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