Using Webmail

Have you tried using Web mail instead of Outlook Express or the like. Using web mail has some great advantages over the normal pop client but it’s not for everyone. I have been trialing both GMAIL from Google, Yahoo Mail from Yahoo & Hotmail from Microsoft. These are the three main servers in the world at the moment & GMAIL & YAHOO Mail both provide excellent spam filtering while Hotmail is not so good, easy user interfaces & fast access to your mail from any computer connected to the internet.

With GMAIL you can setup it up to POP (go & get) your email from your internet service providers mail boxes like netsmart, EOL, Xtra & Clear and bring it to your GMAIL mailbox & in the process, it rips out all the SPAM. YAHOO mail or Hotmail can’t do this BUT you can forward mail from your internet service provider’s mail boxes to either Hotmail or Yahoo mail.
I have also had a few people ask me “can they get emails back when they are deleted from Outlook Express” The long answer is yes but it requires some surgery but with GMAIL, You can configure it to Archive your deleted emails which is fantastic because when you delete them, they are just hidden & will show up when you do a search of your mail in GMAIL. Both Yahoo & Hotmail seem to work on the same principal as Outlook Express, Once they are gone, they are gone. If you are like me & delete stuff then a few weeks later, want it back, GMAIL is the one for you.

To setup either a GMAIL, YAHOO or HOTMAIL account, just go to their websites (gamil.com, yahoo.com, hotmail.com) & set yourself up with a username & password & you are ready to go. Another fantastic reason for this is so many people use more than one computer these days & it’s so nice to be able to get access to your emails from anywhere.

Most of the ISP’s in NZ already provide Web mail services so you could start there to try it as you probably are already setup on their server but I haven’t seen a local Webmail service as good as Google’s Gmail for features, ease of use & the logical way it works is just great.The next question you probably have is how do I get all my “Contact, Address book” from Outlook Express into GMAIL, YAHOO mail or Hotmail. You need to first EXPORT your addresses from Outlook Express to a file on your desktop then while in GMAIL, YAHOO MAIL or HOTMAIL, Go to the Contacts section & look for a link to IMPORT & choose the file on your desktop & suck them in.

Resizing Photos in Picasa 2 to export to Trademe

I have been asked by a few to explain how to resize your photos to a smaller size so you can upload them to Trade Me or to email. In this example, I will be using Picasa from Google which you should have installed.
We first need to make a new folder on our desktop called “Trade Me photos” so right click on your desktop & from the menu, choose New / Folder then type in the name Trade Me Photos.
Next we need to start Picasa. Now click on the first photo (once) to highlight it, then push and hold the “ctrl” on the keyboard. Now click on each of the other photos you want to resize. You should now have a few photos with blue outlines around them showing you they are highlighted.
Now click on FILE in the top left corner of the screen then click on “Export Picture to folder” or just click on the EXPORT button at the bottom of the screen.
Now click on browse then the new folder you made “Trade Me photos” then OK. Now make sure the dot in on the resize to. Now slide the slider so the number in the box says 640. Now click OK and that’s it.
You should now have your photos in the folder “Trade Me photos” on the desktop in 640 x 480 resolution with is perfect for emailing or uploading to Trade Me.

Windows Vista Service Pack (1) is here

The following is an exert from CNET. To read the full artical. click Here

A little more than one year after its release, Windows Vista will receive its first service pack update in March. Microsoft says the pack will offer better compatibility with third-party hardware, increased reliability, tighter security, and better performance. But unlike the last Windows Service Pack release, Windows XP SP2--which offered users a new Windows Firewall, an improved Automatic Updates feature, and a pop-up ad blocker for Internet Explorer--Windows Vista SP1 is largely a code update, devoid of new eye candy, and very light on "must-have" features for home users. Most of the features touted by Microsoft are for the Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate editions of the operating system. Our advice: Be patient, and don't download it once it becomes available. Wait until Windows Vista SP1 is offered to your PC via Microsoft's Automatic Updates service. If you would like to download it click here but be aware it is almost 1/2 a Gig in size.