PC Repair Services: Provide Stellar Support for Your Clients

Most small businesses are overwhelmed by finding professional PC repair services to help them manage their technology. So how can you understand their needs and concerns to develop the best PC repair services and solutions to their business problems?

You have to remember that your prospects, customers and clients have many options when it comes to PC repair services. The key to making sure you become their best option is to provide exactly what your target small businesses need and truly distinguish yourself from the competition.

The following 4 quick tips can help you provide cost-effective, convenient and secure PC repair services to your valuable clients.

1. Most PC Repair Services Clients Will Also Want Remote Support. Remote support is the simplest and most effective, low-cost option available to small businesses. And it can often solve simple problems, while avoiding costly travel time and unnecessary on-site visits … so you can focus on more complicated, involved work when you go on site and maximize efficiency. Make sure you set your PC repair services business up so you can access your clients' computers and networks remotely.

2. Save Your Clients Time and Money. The right software and hardware can help you save your clients time and money when things go wrong. Desktop sharing software can help create a lot of options for remote support, which becomes a cost-effective way to solve minor problems. The time spent on PC repair services when your clients have easy-to-use software will be much less than without it, allowing you and your clients to get back to their work quickly. You need to advise your clients on the inexpensive nature of this software and tell them how it can improve important key parts of their technology infrastructure, and system up-time and reliability.

3. Don’t Try to Compete Head-On with Larger PC Repair Services Companies. On-site PC repair services may seem very expensive initially to small businesses; particularly because huge corporations like Best Buy and others are offering support through entities such as “Geek Squad” to home and business users at what appears on the surface to be rock-bottom hourly rates. Keep in mind, you are not in competition with Fortune 1000 companies. You need to sell the value of your services and not the low cost. As someone offering sophisticated, total business solutions through personalized PC repair services, you are in a totally different league. You are selling long-term relationships and your specific expertise.

4. Be a Professional Consultant. Small businesses are best served when they find a trusted local PC repair services company that can take end-to-end responsibility for all their technology assets. You need to make sure you are offering personalized, complex solutions. Many large retailers and national computer manufacturers will look to point fingers at problems outside of their control. What sets you apart from these large retailers is that you provide personalized solutions, peace of mind and high-quality relationships that will help your clients be a lot more efficient with how they use IT. A big selling point and benefit of your PC repair services is relationship equity. Build these mutually-beneficial relationships solid enough and you'll be rewarded with tremendous client loyalty.

In this article we discussed 4 tips to help you provide your clients stellar support as a PC repair services professional. Learn more about how you can get great, steady, high-paying clients for your PC repair services business now at the attached link.

Copyright (C), PCRepairServiceTips.com, All Rights Reserved

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Posted in: PC repair services

MindManager 8 Webinar- What's New

Have you thought about upgrading to MindManager 8 but are not sure if the features match your needs? MindManager 8 is a substantial upgrade with many exciting and useful features that can make you a more efficient visual mapper. During this hour long webinar we will explore the many new features and give you a firsthand opportunity to see these features in action so that you can make a more informed decision as to whether you want to upgrade. Before the webinar you will have the opportunity to email the presenter with any specific question that you may have. So join me as we explore all of the exciting new features in MindManager 8. To register and pay for this webinar on December 22 at 1:00 pm EST click on the PayPal button on the top right of the blog. There is a nominal $35 dollar charge to participate in the webinar which can paid via PayPal. Once you are registered, you will be emailed information about logging on to the webinar and the teleconferencing phone number and access codes. Space is limited so sign up now!

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Posted in: Mindjet,Mindmanager 8,mindmanager webinar,New features,webinar

Experience Task Automation Capabilities within MindManager 8 for Windows

If you haven't taken a look at some of the new features in MindManager 8 then you should take a look at this video tutorial that I put together for the November Mindjet Connections Newsletter on the new Task Automation Capabilities.

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Posted in: camtasia studio 6,Mindjet,Mindmanager 8,task automation,video tutorial

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy the day spending time with your friends and family. We have a lot to be thankful for! Brian

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Posted in: Thanksgiving

The 11th Carnival of Computer Help and Advice

Welcome to the eleventh monthly Carnival of Computer Help and Advice. Another collection of blog articles to help you avoid problems and get the most out of your PCs.

We start this month's carnival with a heads-up for WordPress bloggers. Madeleine Begun Kane extolls the virtues the Life-Saving, Spam-Fighting WordPress Plugin at Mad Kane's Humor Blog.

Kenneth Reitz compares Windows vs. OSX vs. Linux in a light-hearted article on KennethReitz.com. On the subject of OSX, Tim Biden shares his solution to the problem of Small Printing in Apple Mail on his Biden PC's Quick Notes page.

A number of people are having a problem connecting to the Internet after installing Service Pack 3 on Windows XP. The author of the Glowicki ProBlogger site offers a solution to the problem in The procedure entry point apsGetInterfaceCount could not be located in the dynamic link library wlanapi.dll.

BookFundas.com have sent as an article that links to a free eBook copy of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to PCs, 8th Edition. BookFundas told this carnival that "[t]his book takes the novice by the hand for a very ambitious tour of the world of possibilities available to the PC user. After a section of basic training for those who’ve flipped the “On” switch for the first time, the book surveys the world of software and hardware opportunities." Any freebie are appreciated in a time of economic uncertainty. As Momma notes in the first of a series of posts: Save money and tune up your PC: PART ONE: Software posted at Engineer a debt free life.

Regular contributor, Andrew Edgington, presents an article Beginner Photoshop Tricks at his Learn Photoshop Now blog. Andrew offers "Simple Photoshop Video Tutorials that will help you conquer Photoshop in no time at all. Take a look at their blog for a free sample video."

If you have a blog with posts about computer issues and would like to host the next carnival then please leave a comment on this post or use the contact form over at our Blog Carnival page, where you can also submit your blog posts for inclusion in a future carnival.

If you would like to host a future carnival but don't wish to have the responsibility for selecting articles or writing the carnival post, don't worry I can do that for you.

See you all after what will hopefully be an enjoyable Christmas.

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Posted in: Blog Carnival

Google Search Wiki

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/11/searchwiki-make-search-your-own.html

Once again, my PLN (personal learning network) has alerted me to something VERY interesting. (Thanks, @AngelaMaeirs!) A google search wiki.

Imagine if you could perform a search, arrange the results according to the way YOU want them, and even leave yourself notes about the sites you've found. You can even remove sites from the list. There's more, too. Check out that blog post above and watch that demo video.

Very nice!!

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Posted in: google,search,wiki

Livescribe Pulse Smartpen adds Handwriting Recognition

I have been using digital pen technology for a long time now but nothing has excited me more for the potential for this technology than the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen. I have been writing about my experiences using the Pulse Smartpen on my blog since its release and it continues to amaze me what is possible. I knew that it was only a matter of time before the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen would add handwriting recognition and I am happy to report that Livescribe announced yesterday the release of MyScript for Livescribe 1.0 from VisionObjects- which adds this significant feature. For those of you who would like to try MyScript for Livescribe 1.0 you will have to upgrade your Livescribe Desktop to Version 1.4 from the Livescribe website. Once you have made the upgrade you can download the trial version of MyScript for Livescribe 1.0, which will automatically install the MyScript icon into the tool bar of your Livescribe Desktop software. MyScript for Livescribe 1.0 is an independent application that once engaged from the Livescribe Desktop software will launch. I should note that the MyScript for Livescribe software application is $29.95 and can be purchased from the VisionObjects website.

So how does it work you say? I updated my Livescribe Desktop to version 1.4 and installed the4 trial version of MyScript for Livescribe 1.0 without a hitch. Once installed there now appeared a new icon on my Livescribe Desktop toolbar. I opened a page of some notes I had just recently taken at a conference and clicked on the MyScript icon which automatically launched the MyScript for Livescribe 1.0 application. Once launched you see a two page view of your handwritten notes on the left hand side of the page and by simply clicking on the conversion icon you text is recognized and appears on the right hand side of the page. You can go into the MyScript Preferences and select from three different handwriting modes, Hand Print, Capital Letters, and Natural Handwriting to help the recognition engine along. One more click on the Word icon, and your text transfers to a Word document-pretty neat! Once in Word the text is fully editable and ready to be reformatted. I should note that handwriting recognition has come a long way but it is not perfect. From my perusal of the Word document I would have to say that I was really impressed with the conversion process- with a little spell checking and some formatting my notes are now editable in Word. Having handwriting recognition is a significant feature and one that will allow students and teachers to use this technology to move their notes into Word with the ability to modify and make whatever accommodations that are needed. This is wonderful assistive technology tool and one that keeps getting better and better. This is a great gift for the holiday season.

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Posted in: handwriting recognition,livescribe,livescribe pulse smartpen,My Livescribe,MyScript,VisionObjects

PollDaddy and MindManager 8

You probably know by now, that I like tinkering with new Web 2.0 services and decided to give PollDaddy a try. PollDaddy lets you create a free account and create polls and surveys free of charge. There are some limitations with the free account- but I decided to give it a try and see what happens. So if you can indulge me and fill out I the poll I created I would appreciate it.

On the heals of the release of MindManager 8 I thought it might be interesting to see what new features are most valuable to you and how you are using MindManager to accomplish your work and personal goals. I have also included some questions about your interest in training and what add-ins you are currently using with MindManager. So if you can take the time to complete it I will summarize the data and report back here with the results. Click here to go to the poll. Thanks- Brian

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Posted in: MindManager,Mindmanager 8,mindmapping,Polldaddy,survey

TwitterBerry for BlackBerry Curve

I have become a real fan of Twitter and am using it more and more to follow my colleagues and thought leaders in various fields. I have found it to be indispensable for following and tracking the latest trends in technology. Just recently I was able to follow the tweets for the DevLearn2008 Conference that I was unable to attend to keep up with the latest news from the conference. I'm sure you are finding interesting ways to use Twitter. Today I installed TwitterBerry on my BlackBerry Curve and now have full Twitter functionality from my smartphone. I tried it this evening with great success-now I have Twitter in the palm of my hands. You can Follow me on Twitter @assistivetek Hope to hear from you- so send me a tweet!

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Posted in: Blackberry Curve,devlearn2008,Twitter,Twitterberry

Export as Mindjet Player Tip- Linking Documents

I for one am having a great deal of fun experimenting with the new Export as Mindjet Player feature that can be found in MindManager 8. I have begun to export all of my MindManager maps to this format so that I can share them with my students on their Blackboard accounts. I have all of my lectures mapped out with links to web sites which I use for every class. Back in the days of MindManager 7, I would export my MindManager maps to PDF and post them to Blackboard, but the links were no longer live which always presented a problem. Now with the new Export as Mindjet Player I can put the maps on Blackboard and ask my students to open it and they can quickly jump from web site to web site as we talk about different topics. This has been a tremendous time saver for me. If you have taught using the internet- it is cumbersome when you have to stop and write the URL on the board and invariably some of your students are going to misspell the link and have trouble getting to where you want them to be.

One of the limitation of the first release of Export as Mindjet Player is that you can not embed your attachments. After thinking about this for a little while, I realized that while you can't attach documents that are stored on your computer, however, what about your documents that are stored on Google Docs or Acrobat.com? Instead of attaching documents to my MindManager maps I could simply hyperlink them to my documents. Yes- this does limit the number of attachments but it gets the job done. It was certainly worth trying and in fact my solution does work. Here is how to do it. In Google Docs open up your document that you want to be able to share and click the Share tab and select Publish as Web page. This will automatically create a unique URL that you can share with other to access your Google Docs. Now just create a link in Mindjet MindManager with that unique URL and you are ready to go. Remember you can also upload your Microsoft Word documents and bring them into Google Docs and be able to accomplish the same thing.

I have been using Acrobat.com for a lot of the consulting work that I am doing and it is just as easy to link your documents (Word, Excel, PDF's, etc) in your Acrobat.com account to your MindManager 8 maps and then Export as Mindjet Player and retain the attachments. In fact you will find the process a lot easier. Once you go to the MyFiles directory- simply select the file you want to link and make sure that you have selected Open Access which will let you share your files with others. Now simply click on the Copy URL button. Once you are back in MindManager 8 select the topic you want to link it to and bring up the Add Hyperlink and paste the link in. Now when you Export as Mindjet Player you will be able to access your documents from anywhere when you are connected to the internet.

While I hope that at some point in time we will be able to attach documents that can be embedded into the Mindjet Player for now this is a workaround that should serve us well for maps that we would like to share with others. Let me know what you think of this strategy. You can preview the file that I created by clicking here.

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Posted in: Acrobat.com,Adobe Acrobat Reader 9,Export to Mindjet Player,MindManager,Mindmanager 8,PDF

The November Mindjet Connections Newsletter is Out

Just wanted to let you know that the November Mindjet Connections newsletter is out and it is chock full of some great articles on how to maximize your investment in MindManager. Find out new ways to save time and expand the ways you can utilize MindManager in the work that you do.

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Posted in: Mindjet Newsletter,MindManager,MindManager 7

Zennioptical.com - The Popular Online Eyeglasses Shop

Christmas and New Year will come, that means not too long time again, the holidays will comes, and of course this is a "good news" for all of us who want to relax and refresh the mind from the boring daily activities. And, now is the right time for you to have special something from zennioptical.com to welcome the Christmas holiday, Holiday Glass Frames From Zenni Optical.

There are many wonderful selection of Holiday frames which you can select according to your needs and wants. All models are very good and made from high quality materials. One example can you see at the picture above, Frame#: 4332 Acetate Full-Rim Frame with Temple Design.

As The popular online eyeglasses shop, zennioptical.com is a right choice for you to get high quality stylish prescription glasses with a cheap price. Even you can get $ 8 Complete Rx Eyeglasses. So, what are you waiting for? Enjoy your holidays with have a wonderful Holiday Glass Frames From Zenni Optical.

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Posted in: Other,Review

How to Apply a Sum or Other Function to Every Row in a Data Range in One Step MS Excel

Apply a Sum or Other Function to Every Row in a Data Range in One Step MS Excel
When you format a data range as a table in Microsoft Office Excel 2007, you can add a calculated column—a column of functions (such as sums or averages)—in just one step. To convert a data range to an Excel 2007 table, click in the range, and then on the Home tab, in the Styles section, click Format as Table, and then click to apply a table style.

When your range is formatted as a table, click in a cell of any empty table column, or a cell in the column directly to the right of the table, on any data row. Then in just that cell, add the function or formula you need. (For example, sum all data on that row of the table.) When you press ENTER to apply your formula in that cell, the entire table column is populated with the same formula, adjusted for each applicable data row. If your insertion point was in the column to the right of the table, Excel formats that column to become part of the table when it generates the calculated column.

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Posted in: MS Excel

How to use Smarter Navigation in MSWord

Smarter Navigation in MSWord
You may already know that in Microsoft Office Word, the up-and-down double arrows below the vertical scroll bar will page up and down through an open document. But you might not know that you can use the Select Browse Object button (the little dot) below the vertical scroll bar to change the function of the double-arrow buttons and of the CTRL+PAGE UP and CTRL+PAGE DOWN keyboard shortcuts. You can, for example, choose to browse by heading, which means the buttons will automatically move the cursor up or down to the next heading. Other choices include browsing by footnote, endnote, comment, graphic, or table.

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Posted in: MS Word

How to Reduce File Sizes by Changing Image Formats in MS PowerPoint

Reduce File Sizes by Changing Image Formats in MS PowerPoint
The Compress Pictures button in Microsoft Office PowerPoint can often reduce your .ppt files by up to 50 percent. But that can still leave you with large files, especially if your images have been created from .png files. You can save even more space by changing them to .gif or .jpg formats. (Note: The .png format is more flexible than the other file formats. Flattening to .jpg or .gif reduces flexibility.) Here’s how to reduce file sizes:

1. Save your PowerPoint file as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), which creates an .htm file and a folder of the same name. This folder will contain all the images from the presentation.
2. Open the folder, and sort it by size to reveal which files are the largest.
3. Locate the largest images in your presentation. They may have been scaled, so they might look smaller than the saved image.
4. In PowerPoint, make sure that the image isn't grouped.
5. Select the image.
6. On the Picture Tools menu, in the Adjust section, click Compress Pictures.
7. Right-click the image, and then click Save as Picture.
8. From the Save as type menu, select .jpg or .gif (if you need to use transparency effects), and then save the image.
9. Delete the original image from your presentation, and reload the saved image at its original place.
10. Regroup the images if necessary.

Another way to compress the images is to use an image editing tool like Microsoft Digital Image Suite. This tool gives you more image compression options and can save you yet more space.

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Posted in: MS PowerPoint

Hot News and Sexy News at Giredo.com

Do you want to add your horizons? Do you want to search for fresh and high quality articles? Do you want to know how to activate webcam on Skype? Yes, all these questions can be found through giredo.com, an appropriate website for you visit every day.

There are many interesting categories in giredo.com, such as: politics, tips and tricks, entertainment, games, download, internet, gadgets, technology, inspiration, facebook, celebrity, and many more. Okay, please visit giredo.com now! I guarantee you will be satisfied!

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Posted in: news,Review

Why Virtual Christmas Shopping is a Great Idea?

The nights are getting colder and the yuletide lights are once again glistening and twinkling like the star that guided the wise men in their search of the baby Jesus. Indeed, Christmas is just around the corner. It's my favorite time of the year for it reminded me of happy childhood days, of gifts and toys, of new clothes and shoes. Now, as the father of three lovely children, Christmas is the time for me to play Santa. One thing I'm thankful to God is that I can do the shopping at the comfort of my own home.

Online shopping is accessible round the clock 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can shop whatever you want even at 2 o'clock in the morning. The primary advantage of virtual shopping is that it allows Net-tizens to browse and compare through different items and prices on as many categories on as many virtual shops as they want. It allows saving precious time for busy, working people like you and me or Joe. Also, they can order as many products as they can afford to buy without having to worry about shipping or transporting the items because the virtual shopping websites also ship the items to the buyer's home. Most of the time, free shipping is offered by virtual retail stores.

Online shopping is a convenience resulting from modern technology. It could be a hassle, however, if you are dealing with some unknown commercial establishments. There are reputable virtual stores, however, that you can be guaranteed of safe and pleasurable virtual Christmas shopping experience - from the time you order until the goods are delivered right on your doorstep. Whatever your shopping needs, you can find it virtual - from apparel and accessories to kitchen and housewares, from computers and video games to tools and hard wares.

Remember to always compare the prices, check for discounts, search for the lowest shipping taxes and make sure that what you have found cannot be found cheaper anywhere else. virtual, you can choose a wide variety of things available for you to shop which may not be available in the local brick and mortar stores.

This Christmas, avoid the traffic and the crowd, shop wisely, do virtual Christmas shopping.

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Posted in: Other,Review

Jargon Busting: Anatomy of a window (Part 2)

A number of weeks ago I posted an article naming the various elements that you will find in in Windows programs. This is the second part of that series. Unfortunately, whereas in the last post the displayed elements were interactive, in this post they will only be images.

Scroll Bar
A control for shifting the contents of a window left and right on horizontal scroll bars or up and down on vertical ones.


Slider
This control can be used to adjust a value within a limited range. Sometimes the value chosen with the slider will be displayed. On some sliders there will be only a few values that can be chosen, as with the screen resolution selector.


Spinner
The spinner is a combination of a numeric input box and two small buttons with which you can increase and decrease its value.

Tree View
Tree views appear in a variety of forms, but share the same basic characteristics: items containing sub-items containing sub-items and so on. On some tree views each item will have an associated tick boxes. Click on the + symbol next to an item to see the sub-items it contains. The symbol will then change to a -, which you can click to hide the sub-items.

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Posted in: Jargon,Windows Explained,Windows GUI

Starting a Computer Business Step by Step

When starting a computer business, most obsess over technology and certifications, and give relatively little thought to crucial business issues. Starting a computer business requires organization and careful planning. You need to make sure you have everything in order before you open for business. You also need to have a realistic plan for delivering end-to-end, complete IT solutions.

In a nutshell, you need to have all your contracts and agreements for clients and partners ready to go. This way, when you bring your very first client through the sales process, or build a relationship with your first partner, you know where you are going and exactly what you are doing. You have to know the steps of the sales cycle and be ready to approach your sales cycle consistently with each and every prospect, customer and client. And you need to know which benefits you will be offering that are going to set you apart from the competition.

The following 4 steps can help you get organized when starting a computer business.

1. Don’t Give Away Services for Free. As you're starting a computer business, you need to learn how to take your prospects through the sales cycle, from free to fee. Barring some extraordinary circumstances, you should not spend several non-billable hours on just an initial proposal. A typical sales proposal has no value-added uniqueness and will make your company look like a commodity broker. And when your services are seen as a commodity, you will primarily attract extremely price-sensitive buyers that will be hunting for the lowest bottom line, and not necessarily the best value or greatest potential return on investment.

2. Position Your Computer Business as an Outsourced IT Department. Think of the five or six different functions that small businesses need when you're starting a computer business: needs analysis; project management; training; desktop roll-outs; notebook fixes; server issues; etc. Build your business around these important functions. Think of your company as a single point of contact for clients. Present your value proposition as an outsourced IT department responsible for fulfilling your clients’ on-going IT needs and solving big business problems with IT.

3. Include Annual Service Agreements in Your Business Model. If you don’t propose service agreements to your customers and clients, your small business decision makers are usually not going to ask for them. You have to tell your clients even in the beginning, as you're starting a computer business, that service agreements are the main way you work with all of your clients on an ongoing basis. Well-planned service agreements help you build mutually-beneficial relationships where your company becomes an outsourced virtual IT department.

4. Tackle One Task at a Time. As you're starting a computer business, pick one thing a week for the next several weeks and just start working on it. It might be coming up with a couple of marketing ideas, or creating a service agreement to start offering to any existing customers. You just need to stay organized and get your plans in place. Build your network and have everything ready so you can hit the ground running. You need to get known as an organized, credible, professional business.

In this article, we looked at 4 important steps for starting a computer business. Learn more about how you can get great, steady, high-paying clients now when starting a computer business at the attached link.

Copyright (C), StartAComputerBusiness.com, All Rights Reserved

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Posted in: starting a computer business

Camtasia Studio 6- Impressive!

As a long time user of Camtasia Studio, I was excited to learn that TechSmith had just recently released Version 6. For those of you who have been using Camtasia Studio 5, you will feel right at home with the latest version- which is a good thing. I am always concerned when software companies make drastic changes to the interface when they release new versions of the software. Having stated this up front, TechSmith has spent considerable time and taken user input in designing this latest version. I for one feel that the workflow is much smoother and some of the subtle changes in the interface make the whole experience of using Camtasia Studio 6 much more enjoyable. From the first time you record a session you will notice a whole new recording interface which is much more intuitive and allows you to set up your recording features without the need to jump through a whole lot of screens.
Everything is right there in front of you as you see in the screenshot. You can now easily adjust your audio, select your screen size, as well as your webcam from the Record pane.

When you are ready to record just click in the big Record button and you are ready to record high quality video and audio form your computer. You will be happy to learn that you can now use Camtasia Studio to record in High Definition (HD- H.264) should you need to. After recording your video you can quickly preview your video in the newly designed Preview screen. The interface is very clean and neat and it is very clear how to save, edit, delete or produce your video. By clicking on the edit button you are taken to the very familiar Camtasia Studio screen to edit and produce your work. While not much has changed with regard to the interface there is lots of changes under the hood which will benefit all of us who work with this wonderful tool. This is the first version of Camtasia Studio that lets you decouple the video and audio which will make it easier to make edits and re-record the audio for retakes. TechSmith has now added a number of Hotkeys which will allow us to quickly add captions, callouts, zoom, and markers to the timeline. Just today I created a video and wanted to add a zoom in- and by simply pressing the letter z, I was able to bring up the Pan and Zoom dialog box and insert the zoom. This is certainly going to reduce the amount of time it takes to create and produce my videos. Like I said before, a lot of work has gone on under the hood which we will greatly benefit from. When it comes time to produce our videos TechSmith has really listened to our call and with the Production Wizard we can now output our videos to some of the most popular formats without the need to worry about the settings. We can now produce videos in High Definition (HD), SWF, as well as produce it for YouTube, Screencast and for the iPhone by going through the Production Wizard. In every case you will get perfect video and audio for that platform which is extremely important from my perspective- no need to guess. If you have a Screencast account you will appreciate just how easy it is to store and post your videos to your blog or web. The integration is seamless and within minutes you can have your video on your web or blog.


TechSmith has done a great job of listening to its users and making it even easier to produce high quality screencasts. It is the subtle changes and the work under the hood that will change your workflow and make you more productive using Camtasia Studio 6. The videos that I have recently recorded with Camtasia Studio 6 are very sharp with excellent audio fidelity. If you are on the fence about the upgrade to Camtasia Studio 6 take the plunge and see all of the benefits that you will derive with this very substantial upgrade. You can also download a 30 day trial of Camtasia Studio 6 form the TechSmith web site.

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Posted in: camtasia studio 6,camtasia_studio,screencast,screencast.com,video techsmith

Buy Xbox 360 Console Game Through Shopwiki

Now, the revolution in the internet activity has been improving. Everything and anything can be done as well. And it is real, when you can buy by online the xbox 360 console game from your comfortable room. You don’t need again to buy it to the traditional shops.

In order to buy additional tools related to xbox 360, I think you also need to know what is this console is good? For it need, even you should compare with read the reviews articles whether xbox 360 is as well as PS3.

So, what are you waiting for? The new era of online shopping has come because shopwiki.com has brought the different touch than the other websites for shoppers to the new comfortable shopping experience.

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Posted in: Review

Adding Mindjet Player PDF's to a Acrobat Portfolio

This has been a very exciting week as I explore some of the new features in Mindjet MindManager 8. As I have shared with you, one of the most exciting features from my perspective is the Export to Mindjet Player, which allows you to create shareable maps with anyone who has Adobe Acrobat Reader 9, on their computer. This feature allows you to open and close topics and subtopics and maintains live links to the web. Being one who likes to experiment with software, I wondered what would happen if I placed a Mindjet Player PDF into one of my Adobe Acrobat Portfolio's that I have created. At the present time the Mindjet Player does not support attachments so one of the ways around this if you own a copy of Adobe Acrobat 9 is to create a Portfolio and add the files you would like to the portfolio. Inserting the Mindjet Player file into my portfolio was very easy and worked right out of the box. Double clicking on the Mindjet Player opened the map and from there I was ready to go. Now I can have my MindManager 8 maps displayed and add whatever additional files I need right within the portfolio. You will find as I have, that creating Acrobat portfolios is a great way to package files for training and consulting.

You may have noticed that I have placed a new widget on my blog recently to have you sign for free premium assets and information. This will allow me to target my readership and provide you with timely information which may include video's, newsletter, and or articles. For those of you that sign up now I will email you a link to Portfolio so that you can see just how easy it is to package your maps and attachments. So if you have a moment, please subscribe for the free services at the top of the blog by entering your name and email address- thanks Brian

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Posted in: Adobe,Adobe Acrobat 9,Adobe Acrobat Reader,Mindjet,Mindjet Player,Mindmanager 8

[TIPS] This is just.. Surreal

This is just too strange to wrap my mind around. Today is my last day with the IU. At close of business today I will be retired.

Holy cow!

Where did the time go? There are still so many things that I’ve not yet done. There is still so much to learn. How did it come to this? ;-)

If you’re interested, I am not going to disappear – at least not for a few years (Good Lawd willin’ and the cricks don’t rise). I’ll be working with the Classrooms for the Future program in PA at least 10 days a month. And I will continue to do workshops, etc for as long as I’m being asked to do so. And I plan to continue with this blog. This is an effort of pure joy for me. Its not work.

I’m resisting the temptation to wax philosophical. It’s a strong urge, but one that I’ll save for a bartender somewhere. :-)

I’m going to be leaving for a week’s vacation on Tuesday, so this blog will be quiet during that time. Don’t unsubscribe just yet. After that you wont be able to reach me via the CAIU email address. You’ll have to use my gmail address. And those of you who receive my tips via email – you’re going to HAVE to learn to use RSS. You can do it. I KNOW you can.

So, the next time you hear from me (unless I just HAVE to share something else today) I’ll be a “retired” man. A retired, LUCKY man.

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[TIPS] What does technology do well?

An interesting question posed rhetorically in today’s meeting with Tech Directors: What does technology do well?

The reverse: Where does technology fail to make a difference?


Thoughts?

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[TIPS] 3D Virtual Rome

http://earth.google.com/rome/

How’s this for the power of Personal Learning Networks? This morning while waiting for a meeting to start, I was invited in to a group chat in skype by a woman who was doing a workshop with some college sophomore education majors. She asked our group if they would be available to speak to this class about the need for tech integration. Several of us did. But while we were waiting, Justine Kobeski, one of the CFF TIMS reps, dropped that url into the chat.

Students can now view virtual Rome is an amazing way. As I explored it ( Open Google Earth and select "Ancient Rome 3D" in the Gallery layer) I kept thinking, “If we are teaching about Ancient Rome in our schools today, and were NOT using this tool, then isn’t that now unacceptable? Haven’t we finally gotten to the point that we can expect that this – even DEMAND it?”

Harsh words, I know. But, this is NOT business as usual in our schools. If the current global economic meltdown and the election of our new President aren’t enough to convince us then I don’t know what WOULD be enough. I’m reminded FREQUENTLY of this post by Karl Fisch: http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-it-okay-to-be-technologically.html. He asks, Is it okay to be technologically illiterate in today’s world?

Hmmm.... THIS post sure took an interesting turn, didn’t it? :-)

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[TIPS] The election map - seven views

Many thanks to Mary Bigelow for sharing this one via email.

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=electoral-results-maps

This is a different way of seeing how the country voted in this last election. The only problem is that I’d love to see how it voted in the last COUPLE of elections, too. But, DO check this out. VERY interesting.

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[TIPS] Part Iv - Weaning off the listserv (Tabbloid)

How did you do? Were you able to set up an account? Were you then able to subscribe to my blog? If not, you know how to get in touch with me. I’ll help however I can. I want you to be successful.

If you WERE successful in subscribing to my blog then you’re on your way to the best way to gather information that you’ve ever seen. You just have to kep your eye open for RSS feeds. For example, let’s say that you’re a science teacher and you’d like to gather feeds from a newspaper’s science column. Let’s choose usatoday.com. Go there now (http://usatoday.com) and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Just up from the bottom a bit, and over on the left side, is a list of items that include RSS. Click that orange icon. You’ll then be taken to a page that lists all the feeds for all the columns. Do you know what to do from here?

Here’s one reason why I LOVE the Firefox browser. I’ve already gone into the Preferences (options) and in the Applications tab I’ve set up my aggregator as the default. The picture (You may have to go to my blog to see it) shows the details. It’s under Web Feed in the list. Just set your chosen aggregator as the default. Then, all I do to subscribe is click the RSS icon and it takes me right to the aggregator and it’s ready for me to finish the subscription process. Very easy. LOVE this browser!

Don’t want usatoday, how about cnn.com. See if you can find the link to the cnn feeds. Or the msnbc feeds, or the fox news feeds. With firefox you can tell if there’s a feed on the page very easily as the rss icon appears in the right corner of the address field.

TRY THIS! Make it work for you! You will NOT regret the time you spend learning it. I promise!

Now, let me tell you today about a tool that might just be the way that you choose to get the tips. It’s called tabbloid.com. It’s pretty neat. No account necessary. Just go there, and pate in the url’s of the sites that have the feeds you want. In the case of cnn and usatoday, etc you will have to be specific or you may get ALL the columns. But, what this site does is it gathers the new feeds and puts it into a newsletter format in a pdf document and emails it to you daily – or twice daily, or weekly, or whatever you choose. This could be a fun way for social studies teachers to collect feeds, too. Then print them and display them. But, you could choose to get my blog feed in tabbloid style instead of in the aggregator. Your choice.

I do hope that you’ve been successful with this. If not, let me know (comments) and when I get a chance I’ll make a little movie of my own to help you.

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Mindjet Player Screencast

I am really jazzed up about the Export to Mindjet Player feature found in MindManager 8 because it opens up all kinds of possibilities for teaching and training. In the this screencast I demonstrate just how easy it is to share your maps using MindManager 8. You can click on the screenshot below to launch the screencast. Just a note once the Title screen appears you will need to click on the Play button to continue to view the screencast. Enjoy!

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Posted in: Mindjet,Mindjet Player,Mindmanager 8,mindmapping

[TIPS] Is Skype blocked in your school? Listen to THIS

http://www.twentyfortech.com/?p=27

Dave Solon scores big again. This time he talks with an engineer at SKYPE and they talk about the various concerns that some folks have with the software and they debunk some myths about it.

Give this a listen, then pass it along to the appropriate people. There is HOPE!!

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Nokia N95 8GB Complete Review

Nokia is undoubtedly one of the leading brands of mobile phone on the market today and many users refuse point blank to use any other make of phone. However, Nokia has undoubtedly been playing catch up over the past few years to the likes of Sony Ericsson and Samsung. However, when you take a look at the Nokia N95 8GB, it is clear to see that Nokia is definitely back in the game.

The Nokia N95 8GB is unique in so many ways, which may be why it currently seems to be the flagship handset of the company. A part of the Nokia N Series, it has fabulous usability and functionality. It is most definitely designed for any level of user to be able to get along with it as many of the functions are self explanatory and easy to use, regardless of how technologically advanced they currently are. You may never have used a mobile phone before but will still be able to get along with it quite nicely. This is a nice touch, but not one of the best it has to offer.

In terms of its appearance, the Nokia N95 8GB has extremely clean lines and is undoubtedly sexy. The casing is sleek and sophisticated, coming complete with a screen that displays 16 million colours and dominates the front face. The slide mechanism on the Nokia N95 8GB is just as smooth as the rest of the overall look but, unlike some of its other N Series counterparts, it slides back to reveal nicely spaced buttons on the keypad, thus making it incredibly easy to use. The navigation is also beautiful in that it actually places everything where it is supposed to be.

The features underneath the gorgeous exterior are also excellent. It has both a media player and a camera, and both are highly functional and of the best quality of any Nokia phone. This may come as a surprise given than mobile phone manufacturers are willing to sacrifice one for the other but it is most definitely the truth in this handset.

Starting with the media player, it does support the majority of file types and is very simple to access given that it has its own dedicated buttons on the exterior of the handset. As the Nokia N95 8GB media player has its own navigation keys, this can also be a negative for some people because they are easy to knock. You may end up going into it without meaning to so it can take some getting used to. Another negative is the sound quality but for some reason this only seems to be a problem if you are trying to play a video. If you stick with the music then you should not experience any problems.

Moving on to the camera, there are no issues with this at all. Instead, it is a beautiful feature that serves to enhance the appeal of the phone overall. The 20x digital zoon, LED flash and auto focus makes it easy for you to take excellent pictures first time, every time. The camera itself is 5MP, which speaks for itself in terms of the image quality. On this model of the Nokia N95, the 8GB of memory makes it entirely possible to store as much in the way of music and images as you like. This was problem in the original model but not any more.

As a result of the above, regardless of what you want the Nokia N95 8GB for it will never let you down. Enjoy!

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Posted in: cell phone,Nokia

[TIPS] Part III - Weaning off the mailinglist

So far, we’ve discussed some terms, and we looked at some aggregators. Today we’re going to take the plunge and create an account and subscribe to a feed. Ready?

I should say here that I always use the Firefox browser. I find that it makes this process (and the entire browsing experience, in my opinion) so much nicer. But, of course this will work with IE, as well.

Now, I COULD take the time to write out all the directions for each reader (aggregator), but why re-invent the microchip? So, I’m going to list a few tutorials that you might use to get a handle on how to set them up and add feeds. Cowardly? Well, yes. What’s your point? :-)

Netvibes:
http://faq.netvibes.com/ - from the source
http://www.masey.com.au/blog/index.php/toolbox/netvibes-tutorial/
http://vodpod.com/search/browse?q=netvibes+tutorial – links to a couple videos
http://hubpages.com/hub/Personalized_Start_Page – also talks about Pageflakes
 
Pageflakes:
http://forums.pageflakes.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=76&sid=79c3b978ff9f1bb8c1ca8d74337ca96a – nice faq’s
http://edutechwiki.unige.ch/en/Pageflakes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAq4tanY0ao – a video tutorial

Igoogle
http://www.google.com/search?q=igoogle+tutorial – getting lazy. Here’s a search results page for tutorials

Google Reader
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=google+reader+tutorial&btnG=Search – another search results page

Bloglines
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=bloglines+tutorial&btnG=Search

I’m feeling really hurried with this. I had such great plans for writing our detailed instructions. <sigh>

Now, here’s what you need to do. Check out these tutorials and choose an aggregator that you think you might like. Then go there and create an account, if you’ve not already done so. Finally, go to http://tipline.blogspot.com and subscribe to my blog, following the directions you learned about in those tutorials. After Friday this will be the best way for you to get these tips. Then, start looking at my “blogroll” and subscribe to some others. You’ve read about other blogs in my tips, ranging from gearthblog to Dangerously Irrelevant to Assorted Stuff, and Couros’ blog and the TED blog, and.. SO many more.

You CAN do this. Stay with it. You will LIKE what this does for you, once you learn how to subscribe.

Tomorrow we’ll talk about some other places where you can find rss feeds. Plus, I’ll show you a cool website that will let you subscribe to a site, or multiple sites, and have them delivered to your EMAIL in one pdf document each day. It’s a nice alternative for some.

Good luck!

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Useful Information About Digital Camera

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions by people new to digital photography.

How is optical zoom different from digital zoom?

The optical zoom of digital cameras functions in the same way as the one on normal 35 mm cameras. The lens moves forward and backwards to bring the image closer without losing any quality. The optical magnification of the moving lenses ranges from 2.0x to 10.0x. The closer you get to the upper end, the farther away the subject can be when you take a photo. On the other hand, digital zoom is actually a software that simulates optical zoom without any physical movement. What it does is to crop the picture and enlarge it, just like a photo editing application which you can use afterwards. Using an image editor after having transferred the photos to your computer is actually a better option because you have higher control over what you crop. Some newer digital camera models automatically switch to digital zoom when you have exceeded the capacity of the optical zoom. If you don't want this to happen you can switch the feature off.

What zooming capacity should a digital camera have form optimal performance?

As stated earlier, optical zoom can range from 2x to 10x, but the majority of users are satisfied with 3x-6x. However, a high zooming capacity is a good thing, as long as you make sure you don't overlook other features.

What is a megapixel?

A megapixel consists of a million pixels. 'Pixel' is the short term for 'picture element' , which is one of the millions of little spots that make digital images. Your PC screen and digital camera images are made out of grids of such dots. Each of them holds a color and all these colors dots combined form the picture. To find out the total number of pixels, multiply the vertical by the horizontal dimension. The average PC screen, for example, has 1024 x 768 = 786,432 pixels or 0.8 megapixels. A camera with a higher number of megapixels can take more detailed and clear photos. For example, if you take a photo with a 2 megapixel camera, you will get two million pixels, while with a 4 megapixel one you get 4 million pixels. If you only print them in small sizes you will probably not see any difference, but on 8x10 prints it shows.

How many pixels do I need?

It depends on what you want to do with your photos. If you don't usually crop them and only print in small sizes (4x6, 5x7), you can do great with a 2-3 MP camera. In case you want to print photos in larger sizes, you need at least 4 MP. Despite the numerous advices you might receive to get the highest resolution camera you can afford, you should think of what you need and the fact that there are other features to consider too.

How is a nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) battery different from a nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) one?

Ni-Cd and NiMH batteries look pretty much the same, but NiMH batteries use hydrogen absorbing alloy instead of cadmium. A NiMH battery has 2-3 times higher capacity compared to a Ni-Cd one of approximately the same size and has lower environmental impact.

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Posted in: Digital Camera

Google G1 Vs Apple iPhone

The Google G1 is the latest revolution in the cell phone market manufactured by HTC Corporation of Taiwan. T-mobile is the official carrier of Google G1. Presently, Google G1 will be sold for $179 along with a customary 2-year voice and data plan from T-mobile. The most promising feature of Google G1 is its Android operating system. This platform affords extremely flexible download of software and programs from the net.

Distinctive features:

The Google G1 comes with a keyboard subtly hiding behind a sliding touchscreen. Just a tap on the icons is enough to execute any software of choice. The keyboard is a regular one which makes entry of data a breeze. There are six buttons on the handset to serve different purposes. The first and the last buttons enable the user to make/receive and end an active call. There is a trackball button at the centre, the function of which is similar to the regular mouse. The other three buttons are for navigating and displaying the available options on the desktop.

The Google G1 is available in three colors: white, brown and black.

The GPS service makes navigation a cinch in the new Google G1. It is impossible to get lost if one possesses the G1. The Google maps have the precision to pinpoint the exact location searched for. An accelerometer is combined with a digital compass to make navigation easy in Street View mode. The compass can orient the screen according to movement.

The Google G1 has a 3-megapixel camera but it has no provision for video recording. YouTube clips can however be played on G1. Amazon mp3 service is available on the Google G1 to download music of choice. Shop Savvy software is integrated into G1 camera, which can take photographs of bar codes and thus, compare prices of items before purchasing them.

The web browser provided in the Google G1 is Chromlite. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity add spice to the already flexible internet navigation.

Battery life is capable of handling 5 hours of talk time and 130 hours of standby time. The Google G1 has 1GB storage and can support a maximum of 8GB through a microSD slot. SQLite is the database software used for storage.

MMS is another feature available in the Google G1 along with SMS and threaded text messaging.

Comparison with Apple iPhone:

There is much talk about Google G1 eclipsing the Apple iPhone. The G1 is priced about $20 less than the iPhone. It has a physically available QUERTY keyboard against iPhone`s virtual one. Most users are mentally allergic to the use of a virtual keyboard. The presence of an actual keyboard is more enterprising for them. Internet browsing is better developed in a Google G1 too. The 3 mega-pixel camera of Google G1 is also a more intriguing option than the 2 mega-pixel one in an iPhone.

However, Google G1 does not have a sizable expandable memory. iPhone has a memory of 8 - 16GB which is a lot more than the G1. The standby battery life of an iPhone is also considerably better than a G1. Video playback capabilities are missing in a G1 while it is a major attraction in an iPhone.

Conclusion

So the war is on. The results of the speculations will finally arrive after the Google G1 comes into the user`s hands. Reports say that the initial production of Google G1 has already been completely booked over the internet. The concerned authorities are contemplating making more units to meet the heavy demand. Only time will tell whether investment in the Android based Google G1 is a profitable one or not.

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Posted in: cell phone,gadgets,iphone

SEO Marketing techniques

SEO Marketing is a technique used by professional who want to get your web page ranked high on the search engines. When you choose to implement to your web page with the proper SEO Marketing techniques, you will quickly see the improvements to your customer base and your business. Follow the step by step guide that many SEO Marketing teams supply you and soon you will find that you have the high ranking web page that brings you the business that you want. Professional SEO Marketing Choosing to upgrade your web page to a highly optimized advertising machine is something that many business owners strive for. In order to do this, you should always get the best advice possible. By working with the professional SEO Marketing team you find here, you will be able to gain the level of web presence that you need for optimal results. SEO Marketing works on a number of different levels. Educating yourself about some SEO Marketing will help you when it comes time to ask questions. Asking the right ones will allow you to be more involved in the process and getting the right SEO plan for you. SEO Marketing Get the SEO marketing that you need when you sign up with a marketing firm that brings you the right information and the end product that you want right on time, every time. When you are ready to build your client base and raise your level of visibility on the search engines, you can do so by getting the right SEO Marketing firm to back you. Check out the information that you see before you right here.

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Posted in: blogging,internet,Other

[TIPS] Part II - Weaning off the mailinglist

Sorry – I was busy yesterday and didn’t get this out. Maybe two today.

In the last tip I gave you a few definitions that we’re going use during this process. Don’t worry if you can’t remember them, as we’ll be using them enough that you’ll know them by the time we’re done.

We’re now going to take a look at the aggregators. (An application that collects ‘feeds’) There are several out there, but I’ll be referring to just four. Google Reader, Netvibes, Pageflakes, and Bloglines. Another, iGoogle, is a lot like Pageflakes and Netvibes, although it IS easier to subscribe with when you’re using Firefox. Each site functions a bit differently. I wasn’t going to go into detail with each one due to all the writing that would take. But, since this step is the make or break step I think I’ll have to.

Let’s first hear about the four options so you can decide for yourself which one you might want to start with . You’re not stuck with one forever should you change your mind later, however, so relax. Read the descriptions and pick one that sounds interesting.

Google reader (http://reader.google.com)
This one is fairly straight forward once you’re set up. Feeds can be arranged into folders. I’ve got an education folder, an entertainment folder, a delicious folder, a Mac Tips folder, etc, and I put the feeds into the corresponding folders. All folders and feeds are listed down the left side of the page. When you click on a feed in the left side it opens up in the middle so you can read it, email it to someone, save it, star it, and more. I like this reader because it will let me read the posts right within the reader rather than having to read a sample of the post and then rush click again to go to the actual blog to read it.

Netvibes (http://www.netvibes.com)
This one (and Pageflakes) are completely different in the “look and feel” department. Instead of arranging your feeds into folders you put them into tabs. Clicking a tab name will show all the feeds in that tab, arranged in columns and you can drag and drop the feeds around on the page to suit. Each feed appears in a block which can be collapsed to relieve crowding issues. You could have a tab for sports feeds, another for education feeds, etc., just as I have folders for my education feeds. The problem I see with it, however, is that if you have a lot of feeds you have to do a lot of scrolling. And, I’m not crazy about how the feeds themselves can be read. But that’s just me. There are TONS of folks who prefer this aggregator. It makes a great “home page”, as well. And, there are lots of little widgets, etc that you can add to add some fun to your tabs.

Pageflakes (http://www.pageflakes.com)
Similar to Netvibes this one uses tabs to organize the feeds. Again, the ajax coding allows you to rearrange them by dragging and dropping. You can add widgets, and you can even share a tab with others – even to the point of allowing them to contribute to your page. Both this and Netvibes allow you to make your tabs public. (At least I THINK they both do) As with Netvibes, Pageflakes is popular enough that many blogs especially had buttons on them to aid in subscribing using that service. Also a very nice choice that makes a great home page. You can add a lot of cool widgets, too.

Bloglines (http://www.bloglines.com)
This one was my favorite for years, but I found that a feature in it, the Image Wall, was enough to have it blocked in some districts. However, I did like how the feeds were arranged (in a column on the left) and how you could read them. You can make some folders publicly viewable, too. Here’s mine: http://www.bloglines.com/public/jgates513. Of course, it looks a bit different from the owner’s viewpoint, but the layout is the same. If only that Image Wall weren’t there.

We won’t do anything today, if you don’t want, but tomorrow for SURE we’ll create the account in the aggregator of your choice. You brave souls can go ahead and do that today, if you wish.

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How to use 2003 to 2007 Out of Office Assistant

2003 to 2007 Out of Office Assistant
If you're going on vacation, you can use the Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Out of Office Assistant to send automatic replies to your coworkers with a message of your choice. However, most out-of-office replies are limited to internal contacts only.

The improved Out of Office Assistant in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 enables Outlook 2003 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 clients to send separate replies to internal and external contacts. You can also schedule when your out-of-office replies turn on and off. That way, you won't forget to turn them on as you're leaving, and your coworkers won't have to remind you to turn them off after you return.

To use the improved Out of Office Assistant, click the Tools menu, and then click Out of Office Assistant.

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Posted in: 2003 vs 2007

How to Find Calendars Quickly in Your Calendar in MS Outlook

Find Calendars Quickly in Your Calendar in MS Outlook
You can arrange calendars alphabetically in your My Calendars list in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007.
1. Go to the Calendar view.
2. Right-click the My Calendars bar on the left side, and then click Arrange By Name.

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Posted in: MS Outlook 2007

How to use Photo Gallery in MS Vista

Photo Gallery in MS Vista
Windows Vista makes managing your media files even easier. Windows Photo Gallery is an improved way of looking at images and includes better organizational features catered to media. You can use the properties tools to add tags for additional references.

Here’s how to open Windows Photo Gallery:
1. Click Start.
2. Click All Programs.
3. Click Windows Photo Gallery.

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Posted in: Microsoft Vista,Vista Explorer

How to Find Related Messages in MS Outlook

Find Related Messages in MS Outlook
Searching for related messages in Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 is easy. Open an e-mail message, and in the Find section of the Ribbon, click Related, and then click Related Messages. Outlook quickly displays a list of related messages.

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Posted in: MS Outlook 2007

How to Calculate the Matrix Determinant on the Fly in MS Excel

Calculating the Matrix Determinant on the Fly in MS Excel
1. Create a square matrix in Microsoft Office Excel with values.
2. Type an equal sign (=) followed by MDETERM in an empty cell. While typing, you’ll notice that Excel automatically gives you a list of functions beginning with what you have already written. Many more functions are available in Microsoft Office Excel 2007.
3. After the opening parenthesis, select your matrix data. You'll instantly see the determinant being calculated. Excel updates this value if you change the source data.

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Posted in: MS Excel

How to Setting Permissions in MS Groove

Setting Permissions in MS Groove
Each person you invite to a workspace will have one of three roles: Manager, Participant, or Guest. Each role type is granted specific permissions within the workspace and within each tool. As the Manager, you can adjust tool permissions to help protect the content and control what others can do within the workspace.

1. Right-click the Tool tab, click Properties, and then click Permissions. Then select a role from the menu.
2. Adjust the permissions by selecting or clearing the check boxes, and then click Apply.

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Posted in: MS Office Groove

How to Derive a Strategic Value Score for Projects in MS Office Project

Derive a Strategic Value Score for Projects in MS Office Project
You can use the intuitive prioritization wizard in Portfolio Optimizer to derive a strategic value score for projects.

1. Select an organization in the Builder Scorecard, and then click the Optimizer link on the main navigation bar.
2. Click the Analyze link to open the Open Dialog page in the wizard.
3. Select a completed pairwise comparison matrix and impact matrix, and then start the wizard.
4. Click Next Step to derive the business driver priorities.
5. Click Next Step to open the project to business driver impact matrix.
6. Click Next Step to derive a strategic value score for each project.

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Posted in: MS Office Project

How to Convert Text to Tables in MS Excel

Convert Text to Tables in MS Excel
Sometimes you may find different types of information within the same piece of text, where the only thing separating the information is a space. Microsoft Office Excel makes it easy to redistribute this data by using different columns, and to display the data in a more digestible format.

1. Choose delimiters and column separators.
a. Select the cells containing the data that you want to separate.
b. On the Data ribbon, in the Data Tools section, click the Text to Columns button.
c. Select your preferred data type (that is, Delimited or Fixed width) from the options in the first step presented by the wizard.
d. In the second step of the wizard, select your preferred delimiters from the Delimiters options, or the column separator position from the Fixed width options.

2. Define the data format of your new columns.
a. In the dialog box of the wizard’s third step, select one column at a time and define its data format by clicking your preferred option under Column data format.
b. Click the Finish button. The text chains will now be distributed into columns according to your chosen data format.

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Posted in: MS Excel

How to Quickly Know How Many Lines or Words You Have Typed in MS Word

Quickly Know How Many Lines or Words You Have Typed in MS Word
Right-click the status bar, and then select a parameter. Microsoft Office Word can show you, for example, line details or the number of words typed. This information is useful when you are writing a document that must have a fixed length.

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Posted in: MS Word

How to Turn Off E-Mail Notifications in MS Outlook

Turn Off E-Mail Notifications in MS Outlook
Because an e-mail notification icon appears whenever you receive new e-mail, it's tempting to stop work and open new messages immediately. But you can turn off the notification and then check your e-mail when it's convenient for you. Here’s how:

1. In Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, click Tools, click Options, click E-mail Options, and then click Advanced E-mail Options.
2. In the middle of the dialog box, clear the Display a New Mail Desktop Alert check box.

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Posted in: MS Outlook 2007

How to Change File Properties in MS Vista

Changing File Properties in MS Vista
File properties or metadata can be very useful in labeling, organizing, and subsequently finding your files. Most programs add their own properties when saved; however, with Windows Vista, you can augment these attributes.
1. Click Organize, click Layout, and then click Details Pane (if necessary; you should see the details pane by default at the bottom of the Explorer).
2. Expand the details pane (click and drag the separator above the pane to resize).
3. Select the attribute that you want to change, and enter any information that you want to add.

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Posted in: Microsoft Vista,Vista Explorer

How to Enter the PowerPoint Slide Show Mode Beginning at Any Point You Want

Enter the PowerPoint Slide Show Mode Beginning at Any Point You Want
Pressing F5 in Microsoft Office PowerPoint starts the slide show, but by default, it will open with the first slide in the deck. To start your slide show with the current or selected slide, press SHIFT+F5 instead.

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Posted in: MS PowerPoint

How to use 2003 to 2007 Quick Parts

2003 to 2007 Quick Parts
In Microsoft Office Word 2003, you can use AutoText to automate the typing of oft-repeated text like names and addresses. But what if you want to reuse more than text?

You can use Quick Parts in Microsoft Office Word 2007 to save any document content—text, pictures, Microsoft SmartArt graphics, headers and footers, and more—to an easily accessed Quick Part Gallery.
1. Click the Insert tab, and then select the document content that you want to reuse.
2. Click the Quick Parts button in the Text section, and then click Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery.
3. Enter a name and description, and then click OK.
4. To reuse the content, click the Quick Parts button, and then select the Quick Part that you want to use.

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Posted in: 2003 vs 2007

How to ms woPreview Type and Color Formatting in MS Word

Preview Type and Color Formatting in MS Word
You can see how formatting will look in Live Preview before applying it to the Microsoft Office Word document you're working on. Select a formatting option (for example, click Page Layout, click Page Color, and then point to a color), and Live Preview will temporarily apply it. To keep the result, just click the color, or keep browsing for alternatives.

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Posted in: MS Word

How to Search All Folders in a Mailbox in MS Outlook

Search All Folders in a Mailbox in MS Outlook
You can set Microsoft Office Outlook to automatically search across all your folders at once. Here’s how:
In Outlook, click Tools, click Options, and then click Search Options on the Preferences tab. In the Search Options dialog box, if you click All folders, you can search all folders instead of just the selected one.

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Posted in: MS Outlook 2007

How to use Multiple Level Undo, Change Highlighting, and Task Drivers in MS Office Project

Multiple Level Undo, Change Highlighting, and Task Drivers in MS Office Project
In Microsoft Office Project Professional, project managers can visualize the effects of changes and trace back their steps. To turn the Change Highlighting feature on or off, click the View menu, and then click Hide Change Highlighting or Show Change Highlighting. While the feature is enabled, all levels of tasks affected as a result of a change are highlighted with a color as a visual indicator. By using this feature together with the Multiple Level Undo feature, project managers can do what-if analyses by trying a set of changes and then reversing unwanted changes.

If further analysis of a task’s schedule is needed, the project manager can use Task Drivers on the Project menu to determine the factors—such as task dependency, calendar constraints, schedule date, or vacation time—that are driving a task’s start date.

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Posted in: MS Office Project

Use Conditional Formatting to Highlight Data Trends in MS Excel

Use Conditional Formatting to Highlight Data Trends in MS Excel
Conditional formatting can help you highlight trends in your data. First, either open a fully populated Microsoft Office Excel file, or start with an empty document and fill its cells with some values. To apply conditional formatting:
1. Click the Conditional Formatting button on the Home tab of the Ribbon.
2. On the menu that appears, try selecting Data Bars, Icon Sets, or Color Scales and pause over the options. Your data is partitioned according to the rules you set, and it instantly displays visual cues that will aid understanding of the data.
3. If you don't like the options available, you can create your own rules, use your own colors, and establish your own thresholds. Better still, you can reuse your rules each time for consistent and clear presentation. All of these options are available on the Conditional Formatting menu.

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Posted in: MS Excel

How to Insert Pictures in MS One Note

Insert Pictures in MS One Note
To insert a picture in your notes, click Insert, click Pictures, and then click either From Files or From Scanner or Camera.

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Posted in: MS OneNote 2007

How to use Quickly Switching to Inbox or Outbox

Quickly Switching to Inbox or Outbox in MS Outlook
To jump to your Inbox, press CTRL+SHIFT+I. To jump to your Outbox, press CTRL+SHIFT+O

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Posted in: MS Outlook 2007

How to Generate an Efficient Frontier in Office Project

Generating an Efficient Frontier
You can assess your selected project portfolio against the Efficient Frontier. (Note: These steps assume you have already run an optimization scenario.) Here’s how:
1. Right-click an optimization scenario, and then click Insight Analysis from the Advanced Analysis commands.
2. Wait while the Efficient Frontier is generated.
3. Analyze the constraints (in the right panel) that are prohibiting the portfolio from reaching the Efficient Frontier.

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Posted in: MS Office Project

How to Publish Your Slides to a Slide Library in PowerPoint

How to Publish Your Slides to a Slide Library in PowerPoint
Microsoft SharePoint slide libraries help you to easily share, repurpose, and reuse Microsoft Office PowerPoint slides, reducing the number of times you need to re-create slides. This feature requires the use of a Windows SharePoint Services team workspace.

After saving your presentation, you can publish your slides to a slide library by using the following steps:
1. Click the Office button. On the Publish menu, click Publish Slides.
2. Select the check box next to each slide that you want to publish to your slide library.
3. Type the Web address of your team site in the Publish To text box.
4. Click Publish.

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Posted in: MS PowerPoint

How to Vista Explorer Quick Search

Vista Explorer Quick Search
Folders and most interaction points with Windows Vista are consistent. These windows or Explorers all have similar traits, including a Quick Search box in the upper-right corner. To find a file in this folder:
1. Type the criteria in the Quick Search box.
2. Click the spyglass to search.

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Posted in: Microsoft Vista,Vista Explorer

How to Wrap Text in Excel 2007

How to Wrap Text in Excel 2007
In Microsoft Office Excel 2007, if the text you type is too long to be displayed fully in a cell, you can easily set the text to wrap. This setting enables the cell (and the rest of the row) to expand automatically so that the content of the cell is always visible.
1. Click in the cell that you want to wrap.
2. On the Home tab, in the Alignment section, click Wrap Text.

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Posted in: MS Excel

How to Count Words in MS Word

How to Count Words in MS Word
You can find the number of words in your Microsoft Office Word document by selecting only the text that you want to count. Look at the status bar displayed on the bottom of the screen. It shows you the number of words in the selected text first, and then the count for the entire document.

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Posted in: MS Word

Jim Piccolo - a Visionary CEO

Great man born for give the extraordinary influence for many people. Jim Piccolo is a great man who can give positive influence for many people. Do you want to know more about Jim Piccolo? Jim Piccolo is a President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nouveau Riche since he co-founded it in 2000. He also as Chairman of Nouveau University since 2005 and is a principal owner of the university. Jim Piccolo has also created and acquired more than 40 innovative companies in which he maintains control or significant ownership interest, including Nouveau University, Nouveau Riche, The Real Market Experts®, Nouveau Riche Academy™, iWizard Holding™, The Mortgage Store™-USA, Number Won Accountants, Inc, Piccolo Global, L.L.C, National Credit Advisors, Inc, Nationwide Investors Mortgage Corporation, and many more.

What great things that can I say to you about Jim Piccolo? Do you get inspiration from him? One of the interesting thing to know from Jim Piccolo, he brings the right understanding and principles in the business, such as business leadership, experience, vision and philosophy. He also believes in building relationships and treating people fairly and with respect.

Jim Piccolo always says "to give you must have", an appropriate word and in accordance with reality. Jim Piccolo always teaches about the importance of Knowledge, Freedom, and the POWER to many people to strive to become rich people. Yes, you should learn from the wise words of the Nouveau Riche CEO Jim Piccolo, which always give a lot of valuable inspiration to inspire you to become successful and rich people with the exact principles and understanding. Always remember about Knowledge, Freedom, and the Power to become rich people. “To give you must have.”

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Posted in: Other,Review