Fix Your PC Problems For Free

 There is a new service (currently in beta) from Microsoft providing diagnoses and fixes for common PC and connected devices. The free Fix It Center offers a set of online and offline tools for helping you fix your computer.

Consolidated into a single solution is a variety of support resources that have been scattered throughout Microsoft's web site and even in Windows itself. Windows version XP through Windows 7 are supported. Fix It Center will not only solve known problems, but scans your PC for potential problems and suggests fixes for them.

Fix It Center requires very little technical input. Just choose the category of the problem and it will launch the correct diagnosis program. The correction to some problems are automatic. Remember that this program is still under development and is for common problems. It may not work for the white elephant problems out there.

Here's how it works.

• Set up Fix It Center by going to http://fixitcenter.support.microsoft.com/Portal/ and click the “Try It” button. This will download a small program.

• Run the downloaded program and accept the licensing agreement. This will then start the download and installations of the full Fix It Center program. 

•  The program will install several solutions based on the configuration or your PC. To take advantage of the full program you will need to setup an online account with Microsoft. This will give you not only the Fix It Center troubleshooter solutions and access to the Microsoft knowledge base. Clicking the Fix It Center icon on your desktop will launch the program and step you through the category choices, diagnosis and correction.

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Related Articles

• Microsoft Fix It Center Online (ghacks.net)
• Fix Common System Problems with Microsoft Fix It Center Online (techie-buzz.com)
• Microsoft Fix It Center Beta Guides You Through Common Windows Problems [Downloads] (lifehacker.com)

Digital Cameras And JPEG Files

While it is true that most consumer digital cameras save images as JPEG by default, it is usually not your only option. Todays cameras are much more sophisticated and memory is cheap.

Digital camera users should click through all of their camera's settings. Most will find that their camera has the ability to save pictures as "RAW", "TIFF", and possibly "BMP" or "PICT". Unless your camera is more than 5 years old, you should have at least one of these options.

I have listed the possible format options in order of picture quality. Typically, the higher the quality of the image, the larger the file size. You will see a sgnificant decrease in the number of images you will be able to store on your camera's memory card based on which format option you choose.

While the RAW format gives the best quality, not all computer programs are able to read them. They are not compressed at all, and the file size is very large. This may not be your best option, unless you intend to use sophisticated software to manipulate the image and save in another file format later.

I submit that it is best to save images taken with your camera, or even scanned imges, as TIFF files. This file format can be read by nearly every graphics, word processing, and layout program. The file size is smaller than that of the RAW file, while providing professional quality.

This file type can also provide compression without losing any data. Unlike the JPEG format, which is the least desirable, unless the pictures taken will only be used on the web, and it doesn't matter if some of the quality is lost.


-- Andy

When To Use The JPEG Format

The .jpg or .jpeg, pronounced jay-peg, is the most commonly used file type extension for images on, and off, the web. But, the .jpg format was not meant for everything, and originally was to be used for web only photographs.

Digital camera companies first used this format for saving camera images, because, if you couldn't have saved but a few images to your storage card, you probably would not have bought the camera.

The format JPEG, Joint Photographic Experts Group, was introduced to the world in 1992 for use on the web to compress files for transfer, and can compress files as much as 10:1. This compression does not come without a price. Images saved as jpeg lose part of the detail each time they are resaved. This may not matter for images that are only viewed on the web, but is very important for images intended for print.

Photographs for web benifit the most from jpeg compression, allowing them to be downloaded much more quickly. While photos meant for print, should be saved primarily as RAW or TIFF. They may also be saved as PNG, PICT or BMP. Vector images, like line drawings or illustrations, do not take advantage of jpeg compression and should be saved as GIF files.

I have worked in higher education and graphic design for over 15 years. It is frustrating when a student returns from a once in a lifetime trip abroad to find that their photographs do not have the resolution to be printed at the size they wish. Since storage media has become so cheap, it is wise to only use the JPEG format for files to be used only on the web.


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5 Top Twitter Tools

Twitter applications, twitter apps, can be called by different names. They are sometimes known as "twitter tools". By whatever the name they are called, they are websites which have built-in scripts that complement Twitter. As our social media has become more real-time, it has become easier to maintain a web presence using additional tools for our favorite media site.

I don’tknow about you, but I am constantly looking for tools to use for my online presence. This is not an easy task. Not only do you need to find worthwhile applications, but also be positive that they are legit and safe for use. There are a lot of supposed tools available that ask for your twitter account and password. I don’t find this something I am willing to give out to any fly by night URL or application. Safety is a major concern for me. That is why I have checked each of these tools and have not recommended others that may, or may not, compromise your Twitter account.

1. HootSuite - Is a web based twitter management tool. It allows management of multiple twitter accounts using your web browser. I like the tabs, and wish that twitter

would change their design to something like this.

2. Twittercounter - Is a really nice stat tool for checking

the progress of your follower count, friends, and updates. It will predict future growth, show daily and average growth and allow you to compare up to three twitter accounts.

3. Twackle - Finds twitter messages about your favorite

sports, leagues, teams, players and events. Posting to twackle shows up on twitter and vice versa. It's a cool way to keep up with your favorite sports. They are "your sportsbar in the twittersphere".

4. Twibes - Providing community to your twitter life. A twibe is a group of Twitter users interested in a common topic who would like to be able to communicate with each other. Find or create a twibe group and communic

ate between members. Works well for a group to stay in-touch throughout the day, or relay information to each other.

5. Tweetmeme- Tracks the hottest links on twitter

and allows you to follow them in real time. You can also see videos, pictures and the news that has been twitted about. Plenty of options, and ability to search topics or channels.

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Using Twitter to Track Packages

Did you know that you are able to track your packages using Twitter? It seams there is nothing you can't do with a little ingenuity. In order to track packages, follow "TrackThis" on Twitter.

TrackThis is a bot created for tracking your packages. Send a Direct Message with your Airway Bill Number, to the bot and you’ll be notified each time your package changes location.

This works with FedEx, UPS, DHL and USPS.

Happy Tracking!


-- Andy

Creating an HTML email

"Hey Andy, I am wondering if you can advise me on something. I am trying to design a graphic email blast where the graphic appears in the body of the email, and different images within the graphic, when clicked on, open up a new window and take the user to a web link.

I have CS3 on my mac, and I am wanting to create the graphic using InDesign and/or Photoshop, and then add images in InDesign.

I have Dreamweaver but have never used it; is that what I would need to use to create/activate hyperlinks within this graphic? Should I embed everything in InDesign and then export as a pdf first? This may not make any sense, and I admittedly am not real sure what I’m doing, but if you could provide me with some guidance or basic fundamentals I’d reallllly appreciate it!

Thanks! PJ"

Hey PJ,

The quickest and easiest way, requires no web design experience at all. There are much more complicated ways using Adobe DreamWeaver, but you don't want to add that learning curve to your project. I can go into that later if someone really wants to know.

Go ahead and use Adobe Photoshop to create your images, but use Microsoft Word to do the layout and to create the HTML. You can start with either a word document or html page.

1. Create tables to help you put images in place. use border lines to match up layout, and change to no borders when layout is complete.

2. Link each image to an image that is on a dedicated server. Your VT web space will do. Make sure url is relative, example - http://www.servername.com/images/image01.jpg

3. Use text as needed to complete layout completely.

4. If you need a background image behind everything, use a stationary template.

5. When layout is complete "Save as" HTML document.

6. insert into email,

7. Make any corrections necessary and send to self for testing layout and hyperlinks, before mass mailing.

Let me know if I can provide additional help and good luck!

Have A Heart

I wish I had found this heart generator before Valentine's day, but you know what, we should be showing our love, our compassion and our feelings for the one's we love every day of the year. This heart goes out to the owner of mine, my wife Sharon.

You too, can generate a heart (image on your computer) to share with others by clicking the link above. After making your heart, you will need to do a screen capture in order to download it. If you are using Windows, click "F3". On a Macintosh click "Command"+"Shift"+"3". After downloading to your desktop, use your favorite graphics program to edit or crop the image to your liking. You may then upload the image or email it to the loved ones in your life.

I hope that you had more than a Happy Valentine's Day!