Screen Captures with Google’s Chrome Browser

When I’m working with my web site clients, there are times when they need to share what a web page looks like visual with me.  It can be difficult to convey in words what they are seeing.  Screen captures are an easy way to show what they are seeing and it isn’t hard to do.

Google has an extension (a small add on program) for screen captures and this extension is created to work with their new web browser, Chrome.  Chrome and the screen capture extension is free.  If you want to use this extension, you must already have Chrome installed.  If you don’t, follow the instructions under the section “Install Chrome”. 

If you have Chrome already installed, skip to the section “Installing and Using the Screen Capture Extension for Chrome”. 

Installing Chrome

If you don’t have Chrome installed, you will need to installed before you can use the screen capture extension.  To install Chrome, visit this link:  Google Chrome Download and following the instructions. 

Installing and Using the Screen Capture Extension for Chrome

I was going to list all the steps for installing and using the Screen Capture extension, but I decided instead to create a little video showing all the steps for installing it and using it.  To view the video tutorial, click on the play button for the youtube video below. 

I hope you found this simple little video tutorial helpful.  Enjoy!

Photoshop CS5

As a web site designer, I use Photoshop as one of my tools.  There is a new version of Photoshop out, CS5.  I have been watching some video tutorials this morning that cover some of the new features in CS5.  I found these tutorials on PhotoshopCafe.com.   CS5 has some cool new features.  I would highly suggest checking out some or all of these tutorials. 

I don’t have Photoshop CS5 yet, but after watching these tutorials, I want it.  Some of the features I liked and I would use are:

• Content Aware
• HDR – True photo combining to create an HDR image
• HDR Toning  Filter
• Mixer Brush – Some really cool brushes that look pretty realistic
• True Edge – For your composite work.  This seems to be much improved

I'm excited about CS5 and I’m looking forward to trying it.  If you have used the new Photoshop CS5, let us know what your thoughts are.  Enjoy!

Missed a TV Show

Have you ever missed a TV show and you don’t have a way of recording it?  Recently this happened to me.  We have gotten around to setting up something for recording a program from our DIRECTV service.  We have been meaning to do this, but we have just been to distracted with life.  There is a new TV series on the the Science Channel that I wanted to see – Morgan Freeman’s, “Through the Wormhole”.  It is about the Everything Theory.  I missed it the other night. 

This morning I went out to the Science channel’s web site and saw video clips about the program and I found other video clips about the program on YouTube, but I really wanted to see the whole program.  I brought up my ITunes software and search for the program in the ITunes store and there it was!  You can download the episode for $1.99 or purchase the whole series for $13.99.  Just remember that you will need a fast internet connection and plenty of disk space.  Videos are not small. 

The cool thing about downloading the entire program onto your computer is you can take it on the road with you, by downloading it to your IPod. 

This is pretty cool.  Enjoy!

ITunes U

It has been a little while since I have posted on this blog.  I have been busy with my personal blog (http://paintcreektn.wordpress.com), looking for work, doing lots of spring activities (planting, making rose petal syrup, putting up strawberries, etc..) and traveling some. This has been a busy spring so far.

I have been using ITunes U (U for University) recently and I thought I would do a post about it, in case you haven’t heard about it or perhaps haven’t used it yet. 

ITunes U is a free service offered by Apple.  Apple’s motto for ITunes U is “Learn anything, anywhere, anytime”.  ITunes U is a free learning service.  It has lectures, audio books, video, music, course material, pdf files, etc...For more details about what is on ITunes U, click here.

A lot of major universities use ITunes U, but other organizations use it as well – PBS, Museums, New York public Library, etc..   This is a wonderful learning tool that is free.  I love that.  To see a short and fun overview of ITunes on youtube, click here.

ITunes U can be accessed using your IPhone, IPod or the ITunes program on your computer.  I won’t outline step by step what you need to do to use ITunes, I will provide a couple of Youtube video links that will give you the details you need and of course you can continue your own learning by searching youtube for more video tutorials, do a Google search for more information on ITunes U, or perhaps look through ITunes U and see what is there. 

Here are some Youtube links for ITunes U:

• Quick Intro to ITunes U
• Fun Overview of ITunes U – A Slideshow
• How to Install and Setup ITunes

Other Links:

Apples ITunes U web page

I hope you enjoy learning and using ITunes U. 

Free New Wallpapers for your PC

Looking for some new wallpapers for your PC? Check out Microsoft Bing's wallpapers. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/downloads/bings-best-2.  This link is for Windows 7 users. 

For previous version of Windows (VISTA, Windows XP, etc..) you can download Bing images to your computer and then select one for your wallpaper.  Here is the link for downloading Bing images:  http://www.istartedsomething.com/bingimages/.

Enjoy!

A Song for Unity and Change

 

Pass it on.

ASP.NET 4 and Visual Studio 2010

The new version of ASP.NET – version 4 and Visual Studio – 2010 is now released.  I downloaded them yesterday and installed them.  I haven’t had a lot of time to check them out, this is a busy week for me and I’m leaving this Thursday for five days.  Hopefully I’ll get chance next week to take a good look at the new ASP.NET and Visual Studio. 

If you are interested in learning more about these new released Microsoft products, check out this link:  ASP.NET 4 and Visual Studio 2010 Released.

Microsoft has a free tool for installing everything you need for their web platform.  It is called “Microsoft Web Platform Installer” (MWP).  The MWP will install IIS, SQL, .NET framework, web apps for blogging, and much more.  To learn more about this tool and to download it, visit this web site: Microsoft Web Platform Installer.

If you get a chance to look at things, let us know what you think.

Enjoy!