 |
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
From the Deals Guy |
by Bob Click, Greater Orland Computer Users Group |
Time sure passes quickly. I wrote my first DealsGuy column in November 1994 and have never missed a month since. I am not a journalist by trade, nor do I pretend to be one, but I am flattered that this column has stayed popular as long as it has. Editors sometimes forward complimentary comments from their members about the DealsGuy column. Two groups print only part of it in the newsletters they place around their community to attract new members, and readers must become a member to get the entire column. I am also grateful for the many friends I made over the years through the column. I have been offered places to stay just about anywhere in the US.
Years ago, I received a request from a professional journalist to be added to my e-mail list for the column, and I told him I was honored by the request from him. He told me something that I have thought about a few times since. He said I had blazed a trail with the syndication of my DealsGuy column to user groups and that others would probably follow. At that time, most articles written were from the editor and the group’s own members, mostly reviews, but some of the better ones were reprinted selectively in other newsletters. However, the DealsGuy column certainly has its hard-line critics. Some editors strongly dislike my column, and other editors feel I write too much about myself. In fact, I’m still reeling from one editor’s strong comments at a conference. People sometimes request they be put on my e-mail list because their editor refuses to carry the DealsGuy column. A few editors only carry the product parts of the column because they say their members have no interest in my personal comments at the beginning, but I sometimes hear from UG members asking how to see the entire DealsGuy column.
In the early days of the column, it was not uncommon for user group people I met at conventions to ask how they could get into writing a monthly column as I was doing. I tried giving them tips, but how can a guy who began writing a column accidentally offer helpful tips when he himself doesn’t really know what he is doing. Now days it’s great to see so many authors writing interesting monthly columns that help provide a packed newsletter for any editor and there are many user groups with regular material from their own members. I guess that I’ll stick with it a while longer since nobody else wants this job.
If you haven’t done your 2007 income tax yet, don’t forget about Tax Act < http://www.2ndstorysoftware.com > for computing your income tax for free, although I use the pay version because it brings forward information from last year’s tax return (if you used it last year) along with some comparison features. You can even e-file with the free version. If you would rather someone else did the work, check when and where the AARP volunteers are working to help seniors out. There are other free ways to do your taxes on the Government site.
Video Mobile Converter v1.0 supports digital video files in the following formats: .AVI (audio video interleave), .ASF (advanced systems format), .MOV (QuickTime movie), .MPG/.MPEG/.MP4 (moving pictures experts group) and .WMV (windows media video). Once you choose a video, Video Mobile Converter loads the video and lets you define how much video to convert. Users also have control over the video and audio quality during the conversion process. Users control the height and width of the video, its frame and bit rate as well as its overall quality. Users also control the sample rate, bit rate and overall quality of the video's converted audio, along with the option of splitting video files during the conversion process enabling very large video files to become smaller and more easily managed.
Lastly, Video Mobile Converter can output the converted video in the following formats: .3GP and .3G2 (for use on 3G network mobile devices that use GSM or CDMA network protocols), .MP4 (for use on mobile devices, such as iPods classic, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPhones, cellular phones and other mobile devices), and .PSP (for use on Sony PlayStation Portables).
Video Mobile Converter v1.0 runs under all versions of Microsoft Windows, including Vista and costs $29.95 (USD) for a single-user license. User group members get a 20% discount. For some reason they didn’t respond to my request for the special ordering procedures so, you can e-mail Michael Kaba <mailto:sales@geovid.com>. Could be the because of the holidays. Licensed users are entitled to the fully functional copy of the software, and free updates. Further information, as well as a free, fully functional evaluation copy is available from < www.videomobileconverter.com >.
For more information: < www.geovid.com >. Download link: < http://www.videomobileconverter.com/download/videomobileconverter.exe > (9.3 MB)
Our software package, SeoAdministrator, is a popular professional tool for webmasters and SEO specialists. We released a new module called "Site Analyzer" that will be of interest to all webmasters including those who look after personal websites. The new module helps you to keep a website free of errors such as broken links. Regular use of Site Analyzer will ensure that problems are quickly and easily spotted so they can be fixed. Download a free demonstration of our easy-to-use tool from here. < www.seoadministrator.com/seoadministrator.exe >
Site Analyzer, Developed by by FlamingoSoft of Vancouver, BC, is designed to automate the vital web management task of monitoring and improving web site performance.
Site Analyzer performs comprehensive scans of a specified website and alerts web managers to a range of common problems including broken links, faulty image links, errors in HTML code and missing meta tags using a variety of report formats. Site Analyzer can also create sitemaps in both human and machine formats ready for uploading. The link vendor will be able to see which pages are "overloaded" with external links and perhaps suspend link sales on those pages. System Requirements: Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP/Vista
Priced from $70 (Standard) to $150 for Expert edition, we are offering this great software to user group members at 50% discount ($75 instead of usual price of $150) which includes lifetime support and free upgrades. Use this link < https://usd.swreg.org/cgi-bin/s.cgi?s=1613&p=1613seo&v=3&d=0&q=1&t= > for the 50% discount. Check their Website URL for full info. < http://www.seoadministrator.com/ >
Pacific Business Centre Att: FlamingoSoft #101 - 1001 W. Broadway Suite 381 Vancouver, BC V6H 4E4 Canada
USB Safely Remove enhances the native Safely Remove function in Windows and enables you to remove and unplug any USB removable device in one mouse click or hotkey. It can give correct names to the devices, lets you rename them and find out what application or process is locking the USB device, preventing it from safe removal. It's easy to unplug the wrong one by mistake because many of them have the same name. Unlike the native Windows option, USB Safely Remove shows all USB devices currently plugged into the computer and lets you remove any of them and the program gives correct names to the devices on its menu. The software is primarily aimed at those users who have more than one USB device.
USB Safely Remove 3.2 runs under Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista and is available immediately for $20 (US) from SafelyRemove.com. User Group members can purchase the program at a 25% discount. Use the coupon code: CUG25 on the Buy Now page. Licensed users get unlimited functionality without nag screens, free technical support by e-mail and free lifetime upgrades. More information on the product, as well as a free trial copy is available from < http://safelyremove.com/ug >. Download link: < http://safelyremove.com/usbsafelyremovesetupug.exe >
This is designed to replace the standard Quick Launch. The program emulates the standard features of Quick Launch while including lots of grouping and menu options, a many useful plug-ins and some skinning abilities. True Launch Bar helps clear your desktop working space by removing randomly placed shortcuts and organizing them in convenient groups and menus. True Launch Bar provides users with a brand-new functionality enabling ultra-fast access to any of your PC contents!
True Launch Bar stores shortcuts in the same folder as Windows Quick Launch. All the icons installed into Quick Launch are automatically installed for True Launch Bar. True Launch Bar can be docked into the taskbar; you can simply drag your shortcuts onto the toolbar or menu by pressing any of the mouse buttons. Right button dragging activates a Context menu, grouping links into popup menus. The Virtual Folders feature allows you to add any folder as a menu and control it through Windows Explorer-like context menus. It can be any folder on your disk or on a local network (Favorites, Programs, Recent, etc.), as well as file system folders such as My Computer, Control Panel, Printers, etc. Toolbar buttons will not only launch the applications, but also act like small applets. If you add a Media Control plug-in onto the True Launch Bar, the button will become a real control center of the media player with Stop, Play, Pause and volume adjusting options.
True Launch Bar runs under Windows 9x, NT, 2K, XP, 2003 and Windows Vista. 25% discount makes the cost $14.90 (USD) for a single-user license. Links to purchase with the discount are: Personal License (one person, one or more computers) ($14.90); < http://www.regsoft.net/purchase.php3?productid=51538&pc=7L0L7 > and Home license (one copy on multiple computers and multiple users) ($35); < http://www.regsoft.net/purchase.php3?productid=53346&pc=7U0I4 >. Licensed customers are entitled to lifetime technical support and free updates. Additional information on True Launch Bar, as well as its fully functional evaluation version with a 30-day trial period is available from < http://www.truelaunchbar.com >.
Download link: 32-bit version: < http://download.truelaunchbar.com/install/truelaunchbar42.exe > (4,30MB) 64-bit version: < http://download.truelaunchbar.com/install64/truelaunchbar64v42.msi > (4,69MB) Company website: http://www.tordex.com E-mail: info@tordex.com
Patrick Sullivan reads the DealsGuy column in The DataBus, a great newsletter from The Dayton Microcomputer Association Inc. < http://www.dma.org >, and he sent his favorite application for converting a file to PDF. He said a friend needed a free one and his search found PrimoPDF at < http://www.primopdf.com/ >. He says its PDF file is not as small as Adobe Distiller creates, but he is well satisfied with it and has not found it to implant ads for itself. There is now a new release on their Web site, but he has not tried it because his version works fine.
IT-Services Thomas Holz announces the release of version 1.0 of Textmodules for Software Support, a set of ready-to-use replies to quickly answer typical software-related questions by e-mails. The product is absolutely free and comes as an add-on to the new version of ReplyButler for Outlook. Enlarge the assortment of reply patterns and make your reply on the fly.
With a proper set of text modules, you can answer your e-mails quickly. In Textmodules for Software Support, you’ll find 55 new text modules properly sorted into 18 folders. The modules include typical phrases, answers to common problems, questions for details and more. In addition, there are many reply patterns related to office work and journalism. It uses the correct name and gender in the addressing phrase by itself, securing against any typos in names.
You can get Textmodules for Software Support free of charge, as well as the trial version of ReplyButler for Outlook at < http://www.replybutler.com/en/produkte/replybutler.php >.
ReplyButler for Outlook runs under Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista and Outlook 2000/2002/2003/XP/2007, and costs 15.00 (EURO) for a single-user license. The company offers user group members 25% discount on the purchase of ReplyButler Business Edition. Licensed customers get the fully-functional version of the product, free technical support and free upgrades. Further information on ReplyButler for Outlook is available at our Web site. (DealsGuy note: I included this item for the free part of it, but was unable to get through using their e-mail address for information about using the discount on their business version. Try a contact from their Web site.)
Product page: < http://replybutler.com/en/produkte/replybutler.php > Product download link: < http://replybutler.com/download/getfile.php?file=ReplyButlerE_Freeware.exe > Free add-on link: < http://replybutler.com/download/getfile.php?file=ReplyButler_TextLib_SoftwareSupport.exe > E-mail: < presscontact@itsth.com >
That's it for this month. I’ll have more new product announcements on my Web site (not offering a discount). Meet me here again next month if your editor permits. This column is written to make user group members aware of special offers or freebies I have found or arranged, and my comments should not be interpreted to encourage, or discourage, the purchase of any products, no matter how enthused I might sound. Bob (The Cheapskate) Click < bobclick at bellsouth dot net . Visit my Web site at http://www.dealsguy.com.