How to take a great picture with your new iPhone o...

Throughout my week, I help many people learn about their new (and sometimes not so new) iPhones or iPads. These devices are truly every bit as remarkable as the hoopla that surrounds them. Learning how to use their built-in features well can greatly increase their utility for those who choose to buy them. Today’s, tip focuses on the camera. With just a little practice and knowing how to use the tools built-in to these...

Setting up a new computer

Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to avoiding illness in ourselves. Prevention in the computer world is no different. And like a newborn baby, a newly purchased computer is subject to many terrible diseases and problems if not properly cared from the moment it is taken from its cardboard box. I follow these steps when setting up a new computer system for my clients, and recommend this methodology for all new...

A quicker way to Rename folders and files in Windo...

Windows XP, Vista and the upcoming version 7 continue to help us accomplish certain computer tasks more quickly. One of my favorite features involves the renaming of files. You can still use the techniques I outlined in a previous tip, but renaming files can be even faster with the right steps. If you have the need to rename a group of files (for example a group of freshly downloaded pictures from your digital camera), you...

Print Your Own Manual

To save on printing, shipping and packaging costs, many software and hardware companies no longer provide printed manuals. One of the top complaints I hear from computer users is; “I wish there was a manual.” Instead of printed manuals, many manufacturers use online manuals or Adobe Acrobat files on the item CD to house their manuals. Often times these manuals contain great information, but can be hard to thumb...

Nikon to release camera with built-in projector

Wow, a digital camera with a built-in projector capable of producing a 40″ image to show off your pictures and video without having to huddle around the camera and hope everyone applied deodorant and brushed their teeth. Read the whole story in this Endgadget.com article: Nikon Coolpix S1000pj projector-cam beams into reality along with...

Digital Photography School – Digital Photogr...

I stumbled on this fantastic web site the other day and wanted to share it with you. Tons of great tips for digital photographers of all abilities. Check it out! Digital Photography School – Digital Photography Tips for You.

New Canon Digital Rebel Review

For all you camera nuts out there, you might be interested in this review of the Canon EOS Rebel T1i. The Gizmodo crew posted lots of pictures of it, and pictures they took with it. Apparently it has many features of it’s $1500 brother and costs almost half as much. Here’s the link. Canon EOS Rebel T1i First Hands On: 50D’s Sensor, 1080p Vids, $899...

Digital Photography Basics – February 2009

Adam Cochran ran our Digital Photography Special Interest Group (DPSIG) for almost six years and all that great information he shared during that time is archived here at HelpMeRick.com. Make sure to use that information. In today’s class we covered the basics about digital photography divided into three quick, hard hitting segments: Using the camera Transferring the images Organizing and using the images (including...

Great digital photography debate topics

Technology is no different than politics in that there are a variety of topics that people have opinions on. While you may not know much about these topics now, what you know about them can have a great impact on knowing who to listen to when it comes to learning more about digital photography and related topics. PC vs. Mac: The Mac people will tell you that Macs are better for graphics, easier to use more stable. PC...

Understanding exposure

Theory and Practice of Photography Aperture: Aperture is the setting of the iris of the camera lens. Just as your pupils in your eyes expand and contract to let in more or less light, you can do the same with your camera by setting the Aperture. The Aperture measurement is called F-stop. The higher the F-stop number, the smaller the iris is set in your camera. The trade-off: Each concept of photography seems to have a...

Craigslist is full of scammers – but they ar...

I recently wrote about the wonders of Craislist both on HelpMeRick.com and in our free weekly email newsletter. Someone posted a comment that I think needs to be addressed. There are many many scammers on Craigslist. However, they are stupid and easy to detect. Here are a list of ways to detect a craigslist scammer. 1. The item is priced very low, but not too low. A $50 digital camera that retails for $5,000 is obviously a...

Managing your digital photos

Organizing your digital photos is so important. Too often I see people who have major computer problems and think that everything is backed up only to find that their digital photos were so spread out on their computer that the only had a portion of them backed up. Many people simply copy their digital photos onto their computer wherever a given piece of software puts them and they have no idea where that is. These notes...

Curbside Recycling

When I help people setup a new computer, camera or printer, the standard question asked by the new gadget owner is; “What shall I do with the old one?” I think that the value of tech curbside recycling is highly undervalued. Curbside recycling involves hauling your old hardware out to the curb and just leaving it there. In most moderately busy neighborhoods (HOA’s rules aside), a piece of technology on the...

Microsoft Table PC not that revolutionary

People keep sending me video of the Microsoft table PC. It’s a computer that looks like a table. The demonstrations in the video show it doing amazing things like pulling pictures from a digital camera simply by placing the camera on the coffee table. While the demonstration is impressive, the purpose for such a device is not clear. It would be great for an entertainment device but the dazzle would wear off...

Why good computer guys get grumpy sometimes

Arrogant computer guys really bother me. I try very hard not to be a computer guy who thinks he knows everything. The problem with this is that I am sometimes competing with computer guys who convince people that they do know everything. When I try to straighten out the situation, I get the line, “but the guy at Best Buy said that Norton is the best.” or “But my son who has worked at HP for 20 years says...