Printer "Driver" Problems

If the printer works but spews strange characters or it appears as if the PC and printer creates errors, it may be a printer driver problem. When a printer acts up and there is no hardware problem (such as a paper jam) the solution is usually driver-related.

The driver is the “software” that allows the computer and printer to "talk" to each other and work together... Often if a printer has worked previously, but won't work with a newly installed program, it’s a driver problem. To remedy this:

• Re-Download the driver from the printer maker's Web site. Drivers can be found under or with the "support" or “driver download” area of the manufacturer's website. To be honest - consider doing this twice a year to stay current...
• If you have an inkjet printer and you get smudged or blurry images, you might want to look up the utility on the printer that cleans and or aligns the printer heads. Most inkjet printers either have software that can start this process or have a setting on the printer itself that can kick start it.
• If all of these solutions fail, you might want to search the manufacturer's support area for printer issues. Often there will be bulletins issued on how to fix newly discovered bugs.
• If you have a scanner and printer and experience printing problems take heart, this is easily solvable. Detach both devices and remove the software and drivers for both devices. Then reinstall the printer first and then add the scanner second.

Still not working - go to www.google.com or www.ask.com and search for the “printer” + “problem” you’ll be amazed at the solutions that will be offered, which will usually correct the problem…

If none of this works-Visit the printer manufacturer’s website or Call the printer manufacturer’s 1-800 number (on their website).

Be sure you have the make, model and serial # of your printer, your computer, know your operating system (Windows 98, XP, Vista, Windows 7 - 32 bit or 64 bit) and any warranty information & make the call from the desk where the printer is installed so you can work with them.

Using the Quick Launch Bar

QUICK LAUNCH BAR (located on the Task Bar) Makes It Easier To Access & Open Your Favorite Applications Without Having To Return To Your Desktop…

You can add many of your frequently used programs on the Quick Launch Bar.. Once on the quick launch you can delete them from your desktop. Remember this in no way affects the software – you are only deleting the icon shortcut...

TO DISPLAY THE QUICK LAUNCH BAR

• Right click on the taskbar – You must click on an empty spot on the taskbar or you get a different menu-so don’t click on an icon already on the taskbar
• Be sure that you have “unlocked” your toolbars so that you can work with the Task Bar
• Left Click TOOLBARS
• Left Click QUICK LAUNCH from the pop-up menu

TO ADD NEW ICONS TO THE QUICK LAUNCH BAR

• Simply Click and drag the icon to the Quick Launch Bar OR
• Right Click on the Icon and Choose “Add to Quick Launch Bar”
• The computer makes a copy of the icon when you do this
• Once the Icon is on the Quick Launch, you can delete it from your Desktop

Add as many of your frequently used programs as you'd like on the Quick Launch Bar.. When you shorten the area (show only 3) all additional icons will appear in a cascaded list accessed by the arrows...

Once the icons are on the quick launch you can delete them from your desktop. Remember this in no way affects the software – you are only deleting the icon shortcut...

CLOCKS CHANGE - 2AM SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 7TH

Just a reminder this weekend on Sunday morning, November 7TH at 2am, Daylight Savings Time will end and most states in the US will revert back to Standard Time. Before you go to bed Saturday evening, set all clocks, watches and other time pieces BACK 1 HOUR.

We will then move them ahead to begin Daylight Savings Time "1 hour" at 2am on the second Sunday in March, March 13th 2011.. Most computers and cable boxes will make this change automatically without our help..

Several states, including Arizona (except some Indian Reservations), Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa have chosen not to observe Daylight Saving Time so they do not change their clocks at anytime during the year.

Black Friday & Cyber Monday Ads & Info

Now that the political ad campaigns have stopped, the holidays are fast approaching and the onslaught of holiday ads will begin!!

And no doubt so will the discussions about what the retailers and media refer to as the largest shopping days of the year:

Black Friday (Friday after Thanksgiving-November 26th for brick & mortar stores)

And

Cyber Monday (Monday after Thanksgiving-November 29th for online/internet shopping)..

So, thought you might want to check out these 3 popular websites to stay informed of what and where the best deals are… you can also sign up for daily email alerts if you’d like… Enjoy & happy shopping

http://www.blackfriday.info/

www.bfads.net

http://www.cybermondaycentral.com/

Who & What is "Wikipedia"??

Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia, managed by a not-for-profit parent organization, The Wikimedia Foundation, which also manages Wikipedia's sister projects, including Wiktionary (a wiki dictionary), Wikibooks (textbooks), & others own their domain website names.

*WHO ADDS AND OR UPDATES THE INFORMATION?
You and I do… imagine that!!! So that in actuality the website is totally a collaborative effort. Millions of people have contributed information to different parts of this project, and anyone can, including each of us. All we need is to know how to edit a page, and have some encyclopedic knowledge you want to share. The encyclopedia provides users with a certain amount of freedom. We can learn who is responsible for the most recent versions of any given page by clicking on the "View history" link

*HOW DO WE KNOW THE INFORMATION IS CORRECT?
Because anyone can edit any article, it is, of course, possible for biased, out-of-date, or incorrect information to be posted. However, because there are so many other people reading the articles and monitoring contributions using the Recent Changes page, incorrect information is usually corrected quickly. Thus, the overall accuracy of the encyclopedia is improving all the time. We are all encouraged to help by correcting articles, validating content, and providing useful references

*All Wikipedia information taken directly from Wikipedia:FAQ/Overview

Visit www.wikipedia.com

CARING FOR YOUR CD’S & DVDS..

So much information comes to us today on CD's & DVD's - so it's important to take care of them properly...

• Handle only at the hub or outer edge. Don't touch the shiny surface with your fingers
• Store in a protective case when not in use
• Don't bend the disc when taking it out of the case
• Be careful not to scratch the disc when placing it in the case or in the player tray
• Make certain the disc is properly seated in the player tray before you close it
• Keep discs away from radiators, heaters, hot equipment surfaces, direct sunlight (near a window or in a car during hot weather) and other destructive forces
• DVD specs recommend discs be stored at a temps between 50 °-90 °F with less than 27 °F variation per hour, at relative humidity of 5 to 90 percent
• Artificial light and indirect sunlight have no effect on replicated DVDs, BUT
• Exposure to bright sunlight may affect recordable DVDs, specifically write-once DVDs (DVD-R and DVD+R) that use light-sensitive dyes
• Magnetic fields have no effect on DVDs, so it's OK to leave them sitting on your speakers

WHAT IS A MEDIA PLAYER?

Basically it is “application software” that we use to play and manage all of our music and video files. By manage, it means that we can format music & video files to various formats; rip and burn our music & video files (so that you can transfer them to & from CD and or DVD) and many offer “visual effects” so when we listen to the music there are various patterns that will flash on our monitors (similar to screen savers).

Microsoft Operating Systems include a media player “Windows Media Player” and many people use iTunes Media Player so that they can synchronize their various iPod devices…

But personally – my favorite is VLC Media Player – which is also free… VLC works on most Operating systems including Windows 98 thru to Windows 7); and it can be installed and run from a flash drive and portable hard drive. I also think it’s one of the easiest media players to use to convert music and video formats and you can take screenshots of video’s you are watching which is a feature many people like… to download go to:

www.vlcmediaplayer.org or www.videolan.org

There are many others and it helps to check out these out at some of the “freeware” websites, such as:

www.download.cnet.com
www.freewarefiles.com
www.freeware-guide.com
www.gofree.com

Enjoy this music video

I hope you will enjoy this ~ One of your fellow students shared this “hyperlink” with me and I thought you might enjoy it…. It is amazing what technology can do today and with the Internet we all get to enjoy so many interesting things…

This “hyperlink” is a video of street singers from around the world being recorded, overlayed and mixed with one another while singing the song "Stand By Me".

It is a marvel to listen to and watch. They all deserve to be heard.

The finished product is tremendous! So click below where it instructs you to "click" and enjoy what some think is an incredible piece of sound engineering
,
So enjoy - turn up your speaker volume and [Click Here]

When it opens the website - you can begin by left clicking on the "play arrow" on the bottom left corner of the screen - and remember to use your F11 key to get the "full screen" impact

Keyboard Shortcuts for Outlook

Some great shortcuts when you are using Microsoft Outlook. Microsoft Outlook is one of the Office programs, which allows us to easily control contacts, calendars, email accounts, tasks, a journal and other daily functions that we maintain on the computer. It is a very popular program used by companies and individuals alike.

If you use keyboard shortcuts a lot like I do, you might want to use these keyboard shortcuts when you are working in your Microsoft Outlook Program, to easily switch from one Outlook pane (subject) to another…. So, if you were in any segment of your calendar, and you wanted to quickly go to your contacts, you would use CTRL+3..

Keyboard Shortcuts when using Outlook to change between Navigation Panes:

• CTRL+1 Mail Navigation
• CTRL+2 Calendar Navigation
• CTRL+3 Contacts Navigation
• CTRL+4 Tasks Navigation
• CTRL+5 Notes Navigation
• CTRL+6 Folder List Navigation
• CTRL+7 Shortcuts Navigation
• CTRL+8 Journal Navigation

What is Picasa Movie Maker?

Picasa is a free “Google” digital photo editing software for anyone who has a PC or MAC. For anyone using Picasa Version 3+, there is a wonderful feature “movie maker” that allows us to quickly and easily convert any photo folder on Picasa into a slideshow/movie..

Picasa software is easy to use, but a few tips on using Movie Maker..

Once the Picasa folder is highlighted, simply choose the “CREATE MOVIE” icon which is:

• located above every Picasa album and also located in the action bar at the bottom of the Picasa screen

Once this icon is selected the movie is created and you can now make other enhancements to personalize your movie...

You can enhance your movie by uploading a song - an audio MP3.
When you add music, you will have several options as to how the music will work with your photos - If you choose ‘fit photos into audio’, Picasa will space your photos to fill the length of the song you have chosen

You can choose various transitions, how your slides will appear on the screen, such as “PAN & ZOOM” seems to be the most popular

You can also rearrange your photos, you can add captions, you can add slides that contain just text AND throughout the process, you can “view” your movie to see how it looks and sounds…

When you are finished you can save it to the computer, send via email, share with Skype, save to your Picasa web albums for easy sharing, or export/upload directly to YouTube or other social networking sites…

Your finished movie is saved and will then be uploaded as a.mov file.

And you can re-edit the movie later if we want to change –remove or add photos..

Try it today – go to www.picasa.com