Digital cameras, SMS, and Archimedes
d f tweney
It's been a month since my last missive. If you haven't stopped by my
weblog (http://dylan.tweney.com) recently, the following tidbits will
be brand-new to you. If you have been following my weblog, thank you!
You may now continue with your day!
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Upcoming webcast: "Making the Most of Your Digital Camera"
http://tinyurl.com/ptx3k
Next Wednesday, August 2, I'll be hosting a PCMagCast seminar in which
I'll explain how to use a digital camera. Our team is preparing a nifty
10-minute how-to video, starring yours truly, which explains the basics
-- and I mean the VERY basics -- of digicam usage. I'm going to show
you how to hold the camera, change simple settings, and how to take the
best pictures possible -- even if you've never used a camera before.
After my turn in front of the videocamera, PC Magazine photo experts
Terry Sullivan and Tony Hoffman will come on via live audio to explain
some more advanced (but still pretty easy) tips for taking better
shots.
Sign up (it's free) and tune in Wednesday -- or catch the recorded
version of the presentation anytime after Wednesday. This should be a
fun one!
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SMS Explained.
http://www.sms411.net
I recently started a new site devoted to SMS (short message service)
text messaging -- the service that lets you send short text notes to
and from your cell phone.
Although the popularity of SMS is rapidly growing in the U.S., we're
far behind the rest of the world in understanding how to use it
effectively. Part of the problem is that it's just too hard to find
good info on how it works and what you can do with it. Lots of people
don't know, for example, that you can receive email on your cell
phone via SMS, or that you can use SMS to do Google searches. This site
explains all that and more, as clearly and accessibly as possible.
It's brand-new, and I'm doing the site in my off hours, so the
information you find there is just a start. Please take a look and let
me know what you think-I welcome your comments and suggestions!
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Blast to the Past
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.07/start.html?pg=5
Here's a story I wrote a couple months ago that I really had fun
with. The working title was "the palimpsest in the synchrotron,"
which I loved, just because I got to use the words "palimpsest" and
"synchrotron" in the same sentence. Over and over again. Just try
saying it aloud, and you'll see what I mean: "The palimpsest in the
synchrotron." Fun, isn't it? Here's how the story starts:
"To decode da Vinci, you need a firm grasp of art. To learn from
Archimedes, you need to get your hands on something a bit more
sophisticated. Like a synchrotron that accelerates electrons to nearly
the speed of light to produce x-rays. At least, that's what
scientists at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center are using to
reveal works by the ancient Greek mathematician that are hidden in
1,000-year-old parchment."
Keep reading: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.07/start.html?pg=5
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That's it for this time around. Thanks, as always, for your attention.
Stay in touch!
Dylan Tweney