Tech: How to Use HTTPS

First, what is HTTPS?
HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure is a service that encrypts the connection between your PC and the website you are visiting on the Internet. This prevents unauthorized access to your connection from would-be hackers. Here is how to enable HTTPS on Facebook and Gmail:

Facebook - log into Facebook > click Account > Account Settings > Account Security > Change > click Browse Facebook on a secure connection ... > Save

Gmail - log into Gmail > go to Gear icon > Mail Settings > under Browser Connection heading select Always use https > scroll to bottom of page > Save

7 Tips for Taking Great Digital Photos

A great photo begins with you and then extends through the camera. Think about it! Every shot begins in your mind, not the camera lens. A super photo can be captured by the most basic point-and-click camera just as easy as the most expensive SLR. Here are 7 simple tips on shooting digital photos which will help you get great results every single time you take a photo!

1. Know your camera - understand the ins and outs and read the User Guide

2. Control the flash - no when to use it

3. Hold the camera level - check the view finder for horizontal lines and use align to it

4. Play with the Macro mode - it can be interesting

5. Use a tripod (especially in low light situations) - Wal-Mart sells a mono pod for $15

6. Play with ISO settings - learn about them first

7. Have enough memory capacity - and take most photos in hi-res

Source: AdvancedPhotography.net

Tech: Shortcuts Using the "Windows" Key

The Windows Key, located between the Ctrl key and the Alt key on your PC has been there for years, but do we know it's function. Typically it is a quick launch feature for the Windows Start Menu. In Windows 7, it also provides the Quick Search feature. Here are some quick launch featires available in Windows 7 (similar ones are available in Windows XP and Vista). If you have so free time, search Google for Window Shortcuts for a host of tips that can improve your PC productivity by accomplishing tasks on the PC you would normally manipulate the mouse to achieve.

• ⊞ Win + SPACEBAR to active Aero Peek. This is my favorite since I keep several windows open at a time.
• ⊞ Win + ↑ to maximize the active window.
• ⊞ Win + ↓ to restore (default window size, not maximized nor in taskbar) the active window.
• ⊞ Win + ← or → to align the window to the respective side of the screen, maximizing it vertically.
• ⊞ Win + ⇧ Shift+← or → to move the window to the next or previous monitor, if multiple monitors are used
• ⊞ Win + T to iterate through items on the taskbar.
• ⊞ Win + + or ⊞ Win to zoom into the screen at the mouse cursor position using the Magnifier Utility.
• ⊞ Win + - to zoom out if the Magnifier Utility is running.
• ⊞ Win + esc to cancel magnification and close the Magnifier Utility.
• ⊞ Win + 1, ⊞ Win+2, ... ⊞ Win+0 to run or activate the corresponding programs in the taskbar. ⊞ Win+0 runs the tenth item.
  

Tech: Find "Everything" on Your PC

Need to locate a file (document, spreadsheet, photo, whatever) on your PC and just don;t know where it is? Try downloading and installing "Everything". "Everything" is an administrative tool that locates files and folders by file name instantly for Windows. Unlike the Windows search tool available on all PC's, "Everything" initially displays every file and folder on your computer (hence the name "Everything"). You type in a search filter to limit what files and folders are displayed. Simply go to http://www.voidtools.com/ and download and install "Everything". As a primer, check out their FAQ's.

Countdown Timer - free

Free Countdown timer ... Countdown timer is program that counts (days, hours, minutes and seconds) down to a specified date and time... Once the timer is created you can simply open it's page and see how much time do you have. Go to http://countdown.free-and-online.com/ and create your own personal Countdown Timer and URL to share with family and freinds. Great tool to countdown to an event, a vacation or whatever ... Enjoy.

Capture Web Pages as PDF's

Here is a terrific online tool for those that would like to save or print a copy of a web page you found on the Internet. The process is absolutely simple. After you locate or decide you would like to save the web page you are viewing, simple highlight the URL (the web site address) and using the keyboard hit Ctrl and the letter C. Next type in or  launch the web site http://pdfcrowd.com/. In the center of the page, place your cursor in the space marked as Address and then using the keyboard again hit Ctrl and letter V. Next click Convert to PDF and the site will start converting the web page to a PDF document. You will be asked to save the file - so do so. That's it!

Email Tip: Follow-up Requests

We use email for many reasons - share information and jokes, keep in touch with friends and family and make requests of others. Requests, however, can just as easy be called 'waiting on others' and therefore means that you require information or a response of someone so that you can make or continue progress on something you are working on or plan to do. Wouldn't it be useful to know the requests you made and be able to retrieve or view them simply? I have a simple solution: use your email Subject line to highlight the message is a request by entering 'Request' or 'RQ' in the keyword description of the email. The power behind this is two-fold. First, it clearly defines to the email recipient you are making a request, and secondly, using the email search feature (usually a blank field near the top of your email page called search mail), you can enter 'Request' or 'RQ' and search for all emails with that keyword - wallah! there you have all requests in chronological order. 

Tech: 50 Gb Free Storage for iOS Owners

Unbelievable Deal: Must Get - 50 Gb of Cloud Storage from Box.net simply by accessing and downloading the Box.net app to your mobile device. This is a lifetime storage offer that usually is limited to 5 Gb free space. Once you have the account setup, the storage is available through the mobile device or PC. Check it out - now through December 2nd. If you know anyone with an iOS device - pass this along to family and friends.

Want to Go Cloud? (for free)

There is so much now being promoted and touted for Cloud (Internet) computing (def: computation, software, data access, and storage services that do not require end-user knowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system) . Your are already using Cloud Computing if you use Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo and other web-email services. Now, besides email, I want to share a recent evaluation of Cloud storage services that are free and one that is a budget winner. I will save you the trouble of the full review and discussion and the sometimes 'geek' talk and get right to the point. Here is what this evaluation concluded (I have not yet personally evaluated the Google service (although simply signing up for 1 or more Google accounts and attaching files and using their web album services can get you lots of space for files and photos).

• Ultimate all-feature service: SugarSync - document file storage - 5 Gig, syncing, photos and video storage
• Budget Winner - a ton of space and low low cost Google User Manager Storage - 80 Gig for $20/year
• Microsoft SkyDrive - lots of storage - 25 Gig and free (holds my e-books, large PDF files, photos and more)
• DropBox - the world's best known and simpliest drag and drop storage - 2 Gig and syncing service (my #1 Cloud Storage service) via Windows Explorer folder or web access.
• iCloud - Apples new 5 Gig storage for iOS devices (not tested or reviewed as of the evaluation)

Block a Sender in Gmail

My favorite email service as you know is Gmail. It also is the most used email service out there and one I recommend when someone is having issues with their current service. Some reasons I am so biased is that Gmail is accessible from any PC, offers web productivity tools similar to MS Word, Excel, Power Point, etc., the best email search features around, access to Picasa photo organizer and image editor, large email storage space ... and on and on. One feature I use to help manage my volume of email is the Gmail filter settings. Let me share how I block (really manage to trash) unwanted senders using 'filters'. If you don;t use eGamil (yet), check out your email provider for filter options ... set up may be quite similar.

To set up Gmail to send messages from a specific sender to the Trash automatically:

1. Follow the Create a filter link (at the top of any Gmail mailbox, near the search buttons).

2. Type the desired email address under From:.

3. You can block an entire domain by entering just that. To block all mail from both natsuko@example.com and pjotr@example.com, type "@example.com". (this is good when you get many spam emails from one company or marketer)

4. To block more than one address, separate them with "|" (the vertical bar; typically above the backslash on the keyboard; not including the quotation marks). You can block both natsuko@example.com and pjotr@example.com by typing "natsuko@example.com|pjotr@example.com", for example.

5. Click Next Step ».

6. Make sure Delete it is checked under Choose action.

7. Click Create Filter.

8. Check Also apply filter to __ conversations below to delete previously received messages.

9. Make sure you save settings/filter - that's it!