The Computer Next Door

Notes on Notes

An example of a laminated note I made for my digital camera

We all forget how to do things. The less you do something, the sooner you forget how to use it ("use it or lose it" after all).  And when it comes to high-tech, there are so many things to remember, it's easy for almost everything to go down the old memory drain unless you're doing that certain tech-related thing on a regular basis, whether it's related to a piece of software, your computer hardware, your mobile phone, your remote access to your office or home phone, your digital camera, or your home entertainment system.

I have always been attuned to the fact that I must keep notes on technology.  Way back in college I was making notes on the use of still and movie cameras (I still have these little notes, and they still come in handy).

Recently I wrote about forgetting how to use a digital SLR (my much beloved Canon Digital Rebel). What I didn't mention was the fact that I had kept a little note (and even laminated it) right in the camera case, to jog my own memory.  This was useful when I was using the camera a lot.  It's even more useful when I came back to it, without a sharp clear idea of which buttons to push, or why.

I also keep notes in a folder on my computer Desktop on how to use various pieces of software for things i want to do most often.  I call this my "Notes on Apple" file.  I have categories of how-to notes on everything from Animation to Chat to Printing to Web development.  Whenever I need to delve into something I don't do frequently (such as audio recording), my field notes from the last few years experience with different recording software are there to help me get back up to speed.

I makes notes on such things as:

• Steps in a process (like how to do certain things with a certain piece of equipment or software). Here's an example of the notes I made on using one of my cameras: Download canon_rebel_notes.rtf
• Check lists (equipment, batteries, or other items to bring with me when I'm shooting digital pictures or video)
• Commonly used settings or formats (such as your TV settings when I switch between watching a DVD, a VHS cassette, and watching television)

What's most important about keeping notes on technology?  It saves me from reinventing the wheel every time about the best way to do "X."  It's really a great time saver.

My notes on taking notes are...

1. Keep it simple. If you only have a few things you need to do, try to fit them on 3x5 cards if you prefer having them in hard copy, or as simple text files if you prefer electronic notes.
2. Name each electronic note in a logical manner (like, "Burning a CD").  A single folder is good until you have 15 or more notes - then it's time to start setting up sub-folders (Audio, Video, Photography, Office Software, etc.).
3. Keep current. If you find yourself changing the way you do things, modify your note IMMEDIATELY.  I can't recommend this highly enough - the whole point of the notes process is it has to reflect your most current preferred methodology.
4. Laminate the best of the best.  I have laminated camera notes (to protect against rain) and home entertainment notes (to protect from over-use by, say, house guests).  This may be over-indulgence on my part, but then I don't have to keep printing them out.

That's basically it.  If more people kept their own notes on how to use their technical doo-dads,  I am convinced the world would be a better and happier place...

Fun with the iPhone

It’s been over 3 months since I started using my iPhone and I thought it was time to report on it.  For the record, I’ve been using Apple computers for over 20 years and a more loyal supporter you won’t find.  I think when it comes to industrial design the folks in  Cupertino wrote the book.

A FEW "I-GRIPES"

Of course I expected my iPhone to be a good phone, which it has been.  But I think the AT&T service isn’t as good as it was on Verizon. At least it seems to me that I’m seeing “No service” far more frequently than ever before.  On the other hand, I’m using my phone far more often.  When the phone is working I have absolutely no complaints about sound quality, etc..

I do hate the headphones that came with the device.  Then again, I’ve never liked Apple’s earphones.  I’m an  “in-ear ” kind of listener.  Currently I’m using Sony (http://www.sony.com)  earphones with a Monster iCableLink Headphone Adapter for the iPhone (www.monstercable.com)  The iPhone earplug port is recessed and doesn’t accept all headphones.

My earphone set-up isn’t ideal.  The Monster adapter is several inches long.  While it’s flexible, the iCableLink adds length where length isn’t needed.  The Sony headset already comes with an extention cord that I never use. But the iCableLink is definitely a good product.  It lets you use any pair of  standard headphones from full-sized headsets to earbuds.  Most importantly the flexibility of the adapter helps to prevent damage to the minijack audio connection.  Manufacturers such as Belkin (www.belkin.com) also make adapters, albeit more rigid.

What’s most frustrating in this set-up is the lack of integrated microphone, which you get with  Apple’s earphones.  With third party earphones when you’re listening to music and the phone rings, you remove your headphones to speak.  With the Apple provided earphones you just hit the  microphone to cut the music and answer  the telephone.

There are iPhone  earphone/microphone combos on the market.  The AT&T store (http://www.wireless.att..com)  carries a  universal stereo Shure model.  Also there’s a V- Moda  Vibe Duo available on the  Apple website (www.Apple.com)

My adapter was a cost effective addition (only $9.99 plus tax) to the existing headphones I was using with my iPod.  I’m still investigating the best new options, before spending $100 or more an integrated model.  A word of caution.  I almost bought the wrong V-Moda headphones at the Apple store.  Make sure you’re getting the headset with the microphone, if you’re buying it for an iPhone.

WHAT I LOVE ABOUT THE iPHONE

Now, on to what I love about the iPhone.  I don’t think a device has captured my imagination like this in years.  This is no phone, this is a computer.  It’s not a smart phone  it’s a genius!

I’ve had an iPod almost since the beginning.  I own four of them  (the original, the mini,  a Nano and a Video) not including the iPhone.  Two of them I’m using as spare hard drives.  One’s permanently docked to a speaker set-up and the Nano’s what I wear in the gym.

With my iPhone I’m suddenly carrying music with me all over town.  For the simple reason I now always have an iPod with me built into my phone.  Now, I don’t tote tons of songs with me.  I feel no need to have my entire library always at my finger tips.   If you do want everything, maybe you should have the much larger iPod Classic for that purpose.

Some of the unexpected pleasures of the iPhone are as follows:

1. The Stopwatch.  I write TV promos, which have to be accurately timed for the announcer to read.  The iPhone’s stopwatch is better than the sweep second hand on my wristwatch, nor do I have to carry around a dedicated stopwatch.

2. Google Maps.  Wherever I go, I can pinpoint the address down to the block.  Comes in very handy on the street, and on the road.

3. The Alarm.  My husband’s trusty alarm clock isn’t reliable anymore.  Now all he needs is my iPhone by the bedside.

4. Instant information.  I can comparison shop in a store by going to Safari and checking out a shopping bot on the spot.  Movie schedules, trivia questions, dictionary definitions, these are all things I’ve checked on my iPhone instead of my laptop or desktop in the last few months. I may not need to know the weather in Paris every day, but it’s an icebreaker at parties.

The Wi Fi’s been pretty reliable for the most part.  I’ve gotten free wireless access in reataurants, stores, hotels and on the street.

Yes, there may be a faster iPhone in a few months.  And who knows, maybe Apple will have another price cut in the near future.  But to me, the future is now.  The iPhone’s a great device here and now.  If you’re thinking about getting one, I highly recommend it. 

iFrightening! When Lightning Strikes...

If your horizon looks like this, get off your mobile device!

There used to be a song we were sung to as kids.  "Who's afraid of thunder, thunder's just a lot of noise." True enough.  But lightning's another matter all together.  This being the season of thunderstorms it seems a good time to pass on information.

Your iPod can turn out to be iFrightening in a storm.  And it's not just your iPod, it could be your cellphone, PDA, iPhone or other electronic device.  Being struck by lightning when carrying or using these devices can result in considerable injury.  Not to mention one heck of a jolt.

You know why you put a spoon into the glass before you pour the hot water?  That's right, because the spoon's metal conducts the heat.  It's much the same with  the metal in a device that you're wearing. Energy that would have passed outside your body can travel through the metal and into your body. It's what can happen when you combine skin, sweat and metal.

Lightning kills nearly 75 people a year in the U.S.  Many people think that if you aren't being rained on there's no danger of getting struck.  Unfortunately, the fact is that lightning can hit before the rain ever appears.

So what do you do?

1. When you hear thunder take it seriously.  Look for a safe place to weather the storm.  Indoors is best. If not head for your (non-convertible) car.   

Think twice about going into your parked car if you're near power lines or trees. Keep the car windows closed and of course, don't touch anything metal.

If you're stuck outside cover your ears, and lay low.   Again, stay away from all metal (fences, poles, etc), water, trees and elevations. And don't use your mobile device in an electric storm.

2. Indoors don't use your appliances, or phones.  Also it's wise to avoid your windows, doors and water.

And you thought it was only the volume on your iPod that could be bad for you!

With thanks to www.Snopes.com.

eBooks and the Virtual Libary

There is a Second Annual World eBook Fair happening  as I write this (it is running through August 4).  Sponsored by Project Gutenberg, The World Public Library, and a handful of forward-looking publishers, the World eBook Fair's Website offers a vast panorama of downloadable titles free to the public.

All in the name of getting people reading more, which is unquestionably a noble goal. eBooks - which are simply electronic copies of books - have been around for some time but are beginning to gain momentum as a force on the Web. For consumers, eBooks have a number of benefits. The principal benefit is that you can keep an entire library on a  laptop or other portable device. So, you go on a vacation and you don't need to drag all your hardcovers or softcovers along with you - they're all on your laptop (or Palm, or whatever).

If you really want to live on the edge, you can also read them in the dark, since you're reading them on some form of device with its own, bright screen.  Therefore, presumably, you don't disturb your partner who's snoozing away innocently next to you.

There are a variety of formats available, each format requiring its own reader for the device at hand (whether Mac, PC, Palm, Smartphone, Blackberry, etc.).  A common one is the PDF-type eBook.  These can obviously be opened from Adobe Acrobat Reader, but there are other, simpler readers available, as well.

Digital Editions has appealing "bookshelves" for your books

I am experimenting with Adobe's Digital Editions reader, which is available for a number of operating systems.  It is advertised as being simpler and more streamlined than Acrobat for reading eBooks.  This is a fact - it has only a few features relating to building your eBook library or viewing your electronic books.  Otherwise, the experience is very similar to Acrobat.

Reading an eBook isn't so bad - on a PC, at least

Other readers include: Microsoft Reader, Mobipocket Reader (a multi-device mobile reader) and eReader from Palm. Additionally, some sites offer online reading of their eBooks - basically Web pages.  This latter experience does defeat one of the "mobile" purposes of packing up eBooks on your laptop or device, though, it seems to me.

Sony also has a specialized hardware reader for about $300 (sounds like a lot, although they are currently offering to package about $150 worth of eBooks with the reader).  The Sony reader looks much more like paper-and-ink than other devices. Note that I have never seen anyone actually using a Sony reader - most travelers who are interested in eBooks seem to be using either their laptops or multi-purpose mobile devices to fulfill this task.

The downside to eBooks is that they take the tactile pleasure out of reading. After acquiring a few eBooks, I found I didn't really do much with them.  They sat, unexplored in the deepest reaches of my computer's directory system.

Another problem I found was on my Palm Treo's eReader software.  It drives me crazy that the Palm continually turns off after a few minutes (unless you keep touching the screen), so reading an eBook is a non-intuitive, not-very-fun thing to do on a train or hotel room or wherever.  I still bring books with me, in other words.

Finally, some eBooks feel terribly overpriced for what you get. I can understand paying close to $20 for a book because of printing and distribution costs, but electronic books cost very little to distribute in comparison.  I think they should cut consumers a break.

Luckily, there are many sources for free eBooks which you can find in the collections of the World Public Library.  They have so many interesting titles available, in fact, I may find my paper-and-ink book collection will get a run for its money after all.

Better E-mail with Google

Recently I started using Gmail, Google's new, Web-based e-mail service, which is currently in pre-release.  I have to say, so far, so good.

Gmail is available for free for individuals and small businesses, and can be used in conjunction with other e-mail software. I for example, am using it in conjunction with Mail on my Macintosh.

You need to get a Google account in order to use Gmail, either for a business or for yourself. It works with all major browsers, and has several key features, including a top-notch SPAM protection technology that Google developed.

I signed up to use it so I could get my e-mail when I travel. I don't like to read mail on a small screen (such as my cellphone), but when I travel with my laptop, I like being able to access my e-mail

Google is also promoting other other special features, like the ability to get your mail on your mobile phone, the ability to easily search any of your messages by keyword, and the ability to chat from within the Gmail application.

Like most Google products, Gmail has a plain vanilla, simple interface.  A few things seem slightly counterintuitive. But it's  is easy to get started and to use it.  And for me, the power is in two aspects:

1) Simplified Web-based access to my e-mail

2) A powerful, comprehensive SPAM filter.

I wrote recently about how a SPAM filter (Spamfire) had helped me tone down the amount of Junk mail I received.  Well, Gmail is another order of magnitude beyond what I was getting with Spamfire.  It's like Google has declared war on SPAM.  And those of us who use it, can now benefit.

Life is a whole heck of a lot quieter now with Gmail working for me in the background. There's really no  need for me to go to Gmail to check what it's doing - Gmail simply cranks away in the background, "Frying the SPAM" as they refer to it, and, acting as our mail server.  I continue to use my e-mail program, only with a lot fewer SPAM messages.

To find out more about Gmail and how you can get it, go to:

Gmail from Google

Cellphone Urban Legends

Speaking of urban legends, Linda and I have been investigating the urban legend surrounding use of the ubiquitous cell phone. 

Now, first of all, we are just wondering, WHY anyone would propagate a myth about a cellphone of all things.  This is a major mystery to us.  Legends about haunted houses in the Hudson Valley, maybe, but cellphones?

Anyway, to set the record straight - here are a few of the  myths and realities about what cellphones can (and can't) do:

Myth: " You can dial "112" for emergency worldwide".

Reality: Although 112 works in Europe and a few other countries, this is not rue for North America, Asia, or Africa.  So, don't count on it.

Myth: "You can use your cellphone to get into a locked car." 

Reality: Cell phones and remote keyless entry systems work on different radio frequencies.  You'll wait a loooong time trying to get into a locked car with your mobile.

Myth:  "Cell phone companies are charging you $1 to $2 extra for 411 information calls when they don't have to.  To avoid the charge, dial 1-800-FREE-411."

Reality: You may still get a charge, depending on the specifics of your plan provider.  Better check before you go wild with FREE-411.

Our thanks to David Emery on About.com at his "Urban Legends and Folklore" archive...check it out for more urban legends related to technology.