Ask Mr. Modem
Q. Can you recommend a simple program to move pictures from my Android phone to my Windows 7 computer?
A. You really don’t need a program or an app to do that. Instead, follow these steps and you should be all set: First, connect your smartphone to your computer using the USB sync cable that came with your phone or is available at any Radio Shack. Once connected, a USB icon will appear in the Notification area of your phone. Drag the Notifications bar down, then tap it. Next, tap USB Connected > Mount.
On your computer, click Start > Computer or My Computer. The micro-SD card in your phone will be recognized and listed as a Removable Disk. Double-click its icon to open it. Double-click the DCIM folder > DCIM > Camera. From this location you can copy all pictures and videos taken with your Android phone to any folder on your computer.
To disconnect the Android phone, go to the Notifications area and tap the USB sign to disconnect. That’s all there is to it, and no app required!
Q. When I send a new email and click “To:”, a list of previous addresses appears. How can I remove individual, unwanted addresses from the list? I am using Outlook 2007.
A. Start typing the name or address you want to remove when composing a new message. Then use the down arrow key to highlight the undesirable entry and press DELete.
Q. I’m tempted to try out a free junkware removal tool that I got an email about. What’s your take on these types of programs?
A. There is nothing inherently “wrong” with programs of this type, but philosophically, I don’t use them. My feeling is that unless a system is experiencing a problem that I am attempting to resolve, what’s the point? In other words, if everything is working well, you’re not going to make it run “weller” by throwing more software at it.
And every additional piece of software carries the risk of potential conflicts, not to mention the underlying concept of “free.” With virtually any “free” program, there is always a price to be paid. I would also steer clear of any offer that appears out of the blue. You can call that type of email anything you want, but it’s still spam.
I’m very much an advocate of the old “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy. I have 11 systems here running all versions of Windows, Mac and Linux and they run happy as clams – if clams are truly happy – and never give me any problems. The computers, not the clams. Clams are nothing but trouble.
So that’s my take on it. Without question, you are the boss when it comes to your computer and you can try anything you want, but if you ask me if I would install it on any of my systems, the answer would be “Absolutely not.” When it comes to unsolicited, free programs of that ilk, just remember the old axiom, “Beware of geeks bearing gifts.”
Mr. Modem’s DME (Don’t Miss ’Em) sites of the month
National Geographic: Education
This site is filled to the brim with teaching and related educational resources. Along the top of the page you will find a navigation bar with the categories Teaching Resources, Reference and News, Mapping, Media, Collections, Get Involved and Geo-Literacy. You will also find lots of interesting tidbits on the main page. Check out the Fast Fact section, the scrolling featured topics and Quote beneath the navigation strip. Below those you will find featured content from each of the categories on the navigation strip. This is an excellent resource for anyone interested in science, social studies or geography.
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/
Public Art Archive
This site is home to a vast database you can use to search for public art exhibits in the United States and Canada. You can search by Artist, Collection, Material, Title, Venue or Year. Once you find a place or artist or collection you would like to view, click the image or the title link and you will be whisked away to that page, where you will find additional information about the artwork, its location, as well as more images and a map of the area.
http://www.publicartarchive.org
Twinkies Facts
The Twinkie, long recognized as the cornerstone of any well-balanced diet, was created in 1930 by James Dewar, a plant manager at the Continental Baking Company. From its humble beginning as “Twinkie Fingers,” today more than 500 million Twinkies are produced every year. Despite urban legends that suggest the shelf life of a Twinkie is measured in decades, the actual shelf life is 25 days per Twink. Before he departed for the Big Cupcake in the Sky at age 88, Mr. Dewar said that the secret to his long life was to “eat Twinkies every day and smoke a pack of cigarettes.” What, no bourbon?
