I paid more than that! peace, mjh
Amazon.com: Windows 8 For Seniors For Dummies (9781118120286): Mark Justice Hinton: Books
I think all photographers come to realize the challenge and benefits of seeing in a way we would not have before we got cameras. This article makes some good points and features some terrific photos. peace, mjh
Birding Is Fun!: Composition for Birders by Scott Simmons
my hope is always to come home with photos that have artistic value–photos I could hang on my wall and be proud of. Attention to composition is one of the best ways to get a documentary photo to double as a form of artistic expression.
Don’t get too excited. Don’t bother to complain about change. I’m just spreading the awareness of likely developments in Windows.
“Windows Blue” refers to the next upgrade to Windows 8. You can think of it as Windows 8.1 or, if you’re a nerd, SP1. Blue will fix some bugs, tighten some code for efficiency, and add just enough features to give reps and reviewers something new to talk about, beside what a horrible mistake Win8 is or how to get back the obviated Start button. There is a chance Blue also establishes the upgrade path to Windows 9.
Windows 9! You’re kidding, right? Just like every other corporation that sells stuff, Microsoft has to keep changing and developing new things to sell. If you don’t like that, maybe you’re not really a capitalist. (Kidding! But “new and improved” is the lifeblood of capitalism.)
Windows 9 is likely to continue the evolution toward one interface regardless of device: computer, phone, Xbox, and who knows what else. My instinct is that with Win9, Microsoft will follow the Office evolution. You can now buy a single license to install Office or you can “subscribe” to Office 365. Your choice. Pay a bunch for one copy or pay less for 5 copies. Less, except that you will have to renew your subscription annually. This model makes sense for most consumers and for Microsoft — Win-Win. Oh! Maybe that will be the slogan: Win9-Win9. Ja.
Time frames are speculative but Blue may be generally available between August and October, 2013. Windows 9 *may* be available within a year following. Keep your dial tuned to this website.
Of the tens of thousands of apps available in the Windows 8 Store, far too many are crapps, often little more than repackaged web content. I think it is important to identify apps that should be considered examples by any developer. One such app is Metro Media Player (MMP). Not only does MMP outdo the default Video app (which isn’t hard to outdo), MMP also incorporates some great functionality every app should have. To wit:
As a video player, MMP stands out for these features:
Metro Media Player app for Windows in the Windows Store
Description
Using a clean design, Metro Media Player removes all the clutter found in most modern media players. It is built to play your files, from your libraries.
MMP supports common media formats like MP4 or WMV as well as MP3 or WAV audio file formats. (Sorry no MKV at this time). It also now supports SRT subtitle files for caption overlays.
MMP is perfect for playing education videos as it supports a simple swipe gesture for adjusting playback rate. MMP also works with mouse, keyboard, special media keys, media remotes as well as touch.
MMP also support PlayTo which lets you stream from your device to a DLNA supported TV. MMP provides 30 second skip forward and backward buttons as well as volume and screen size options.
MMP also support PlayTo which lets you stream from your device to a DLNA supported TV. MMP provides 30 second skip forward and backward buttons as well as volume and screen size options.
MMP supports common media formats like MP4 or WMV as well as MP3 or WAV audio file formats. (Sorry no MKV at this time).
Features
- Supports most popular video and audio formats (no MKV yet)
- SRT subtitle file support
- Uncluttered design
- Local files as well as open file from URL
- Swipe gesture for playback rate adjustment
- Support for mouse, keyboard, special media keys, media remotes and touch.
- PlayTo DLNA support
- Background Audio
Read a review of a fun, free Windows 8 app
Fresh Paint – A Stunning Touchscreen Painting App | Windows.AppStorm
Control Windows 8 slide shows | PCWorld by Lincoln Spector
John McClung asked if there’s a way to speed up and slow down slide shows in Windows 8′s photo app.
If you’re talking about the obvious app that sits where you can’t miss it on the home screen, the answer is no. Luckily, that’s not the only photo slideshow tool that comes with Windows 8. You just have to know where to find the other one.
Let’s look at both of them
Thorough review with detailed comparisons to competing tablets. peace, mjh
ASUS VivoTab Smart Review | Windows 8 Tablet Reviews
by Daniel Howley on February 15, 2013
Pros: Long-lasting battery; Impressive camera app; Very aggressive price; Twice the storage of competing Windows 8 tablets
Cons: Plastic design; Desktop apps can be slow to open; Lacks full-size USB port; Keyboard and cover not lap friendly
The Verdict: ASUS’ Windows 8-powered VivoTab Smart is a solid Windows 8 tablet at an affordable price.
Technically, you don’t have to stop apps in Windows 8. However, too many apps clutter app switching (Win+Tab) and task switching (Alt+Tab). You can end an app using touch, mouse, or keyboard.
Above: the task switcher. Right: the app switcher.
Touch: Place your finger above the top edge of the screen and swipe down until you see the app shrink and disappear off the bottom of the screen. Don’t lift your finger too early.
Mouse: Position the mouse pointer at the top edge of the app so that you see a hand. Click and hold the left mouse button – the hand closes. Drag down until you see the app shrink and disappear off the bottom of the screen.
Bonus mouse method: Position the mouse pointer in the upper-left or lower-right corner of the screen. When a thumbnail appears, move the mouse pointer along the left edge until the app switcher appears. Right-click over the thumbnail of the app you intend to close. (The current app won’t show; see all open apps from the Start screen.) From the context menu, select Close.
Keyboard: Press Alt+F4, an ancient method for closing a program.
This information also appears in Windows 8 for Seniors in Chapter 2.
Bonus method (touch, mouse, or keyboard): Open the Task Manager by typing task on the Start screen. The Task Manager opens on the desktop. Select an app from the list and then select End Task. (Compare More Details and Fewer Detail.) See Chapter 5.
One way to make easy returning to a Web address (URL to nerds) is to pin a website to the Start screen, using either the modern Metro version of Internet Explorer (IE) or the desktop version. You can also pin a site to the taskbar (in Windows 8 or 7), although that is more round-about and will only open the desktop version of IE.
1. Browse the site in Internet Explorer from the Start screen (the modern Metro version).
2. Display the app bar in IE. (Swipe up from the bottom or down from the top; right click anywhere; press Win+Z))
3. Select the pushpin.
4. Select Pin to Start.
5. Change the text, if desired. Shorter is better.
6. Select Pin to Start.
7. Your new tile for this website is at the far right edge of the Start screen. (See Chapter 3 of Windows 8 for Seniors for information on rearranging tiles.)
To unpin from the Start screen: Right-click the tile or use a finger to drag the tile down slightly. In the app bar, select Unpin from Start.
1. Browse the site in the desktop version of Internet Explorer. (From the Start screen version of IE, select the wrench in the app bar, then select View on the Desktop.)
2. Display the Tools menu (press the Alt key) or select the Page command in the command bar (two different steps — your choice).
3. Select Add Site to Start Screen.
4. Return to the Start screen. Your new tile for this website is at the far edge of the Start screen.
5. Right click that new tile or use a finger to drag it down slightly.
6. In the app bar, select Pin to Taskbar. (Next time, that item will appear as Unpin from Taskbar.)
7. Return to the desktop. Your new taskbar button is to the right of others.
You might wonder why you couldn’t do this directly from IE. I don’t have a good answer for that except that people expect too much consistency from computers. (There is a way using drag and drop, but, seriously, how many ways do you want to know?)
To unpin: Display the app bar for the selected tile on the Start screen or display the context menu of the taskbar icon. Select Unpin (this Program) from the Taskbar.
Notice the Start screen tiles differ between websites pinned from the Start screen app (below left) vs websites pinned from the desktop app (below right). Each will open in the originating app.
Extra tip: On the desktop, you can pin a site to the IE icon instead of as a separate icon – this takes less space. Browse the site in desktop IE. Right-click the IE icon in the taskbar (or press and hold with a finger until a box appears, then release). In the context menu. select the far-right of the line the website name is on. Mouse users will see a pushpin as they hover; touch users must have faith.
To use a site pinned to IE (instead of a separate icon or tile), display the context menu for IE in the taskbar and select the site under Pinned (or Recent).
Stop me before I tip again: You can create a website shortcut directly on the desktop. Browse any site in the desktop version of IE. Display the context menu. Select Create Shortcut. Select Yes. Now there is an icon on your desktop.
My favorite bird photographer, Lillian Stokes, reviews the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
STOKES BIRDING BLOG: Canon SX 50 HS for Bird Photography: I love this camera!
Warning! Reading this blog post could cost you money. I just got the new Canon SX 50 HS point and shoot super-zoom camera and I love it. It’s in my right hand, my Canon 1D Mark IV with the 300mm lens and 1.4 teleconverter is in my left hand. The SX 50 HS has a 12.1 megapixel back-illuminated CMOS sensor, DIGIC 5 image processor, image stabilization, ISO 80-6400. The focal length when optical and digital zoom are combined is as follows (35 mm equivalent) 24-4800 mm (24-1200mm with optical zoom alone.) It can shoot RAW. Here are some of the reasons why I love the SX 50 HS
STOKES BIRDING BLOG: Canon SX 50 HS for Bird Photography: I love this camera!
Amazon rank for the book is higher in the UK than the US, but the reviews are a little stronger in the US. peace, mjh
Windows 8 for Seniors For Dummies For Dummies Computers: Amazon.co.uk: Mark Justice Hinton: Books
For $99, you can add a pen to a non-touch system to give you many of the capabilities of touch. Follow the link for a review. peace, mjh
Targus Touch Pen adds touch capabilities to any Windows 8 laptop | PCWorld by Rick Broida
It works like this: You plug a small receiver into one of your laptop’s USB ports, then stick it to the side of the display. After a one-time calibration (performed within Windows 8′s settings–there’s no special software required to use the pen), you’re good to go.
The thick, black, comfy stylus could easily be mistaken for a business pen, save for the brush-style bristles on the end. You use it exactly as you’d expect, by tapping and/or swiping on the screen.
And here’s the shocker: it works.
Targus Touch Pen adds touch capabilities to any Windows 8 laptop | PCWorld
APOD has great photos every day. The live tile makes it very convenient to keep up with the new photos.
Astronomy Picture of the Day app for Windows in the Windows Store
Features
- Simple yet beatiful browsing of current and old astronomy images
- Live Tile with current astronomy image automatically updated each day
- Use daily astronomy picture as a lockscreen wallpaper
Astronomy Picture of the Day app for Windows in the Windows Store
