Improving Your Ranking in Search Engines

• Use keywords that people are likely to search on in the title of each page on your web site. For example, a page with the title “ABC Company” will not show up as high in search engines as a page with the title “ABC Company: Specialists in landscaping, lawn care, and sprinkler systems”.
• Use the keyword meta tags in each page of your web site. Do NOT duplicate words, but do use alternate spellings (and even misspellings) or abbreviations and alternate words in the keywords section — like photography, photo, photos, pictures, pics, art, photographs, photograph. All of these keywords will help search engines index your site correctly.
• Make sure that your site will be of interest to people who find it through a search engine. When people use a search engine to find something, and then click on a link and stay at that site, without going back to the search engine to find another site, it improves your ranking. The goal is to create a site that visitors will want to stay at, after they find it in a search engine. You can do this by offering additional content or features on your web site.
• Searching for your site and then going to it improves your ranking. However, doing this over and over again from the same computer does NOT help. Getting friends and family to search for your site when they go to it, instead of just typing the URL, can help.
• You can submit your site to be listed on various search engines, but there is often a cost for this and it can be expensive.

Advertising & On-line Marketing

• Find free places to list your web site around the Internet. One way to do this is to search for where your competitors are linked. For example, to search for sites that link to www.abccompany.com, go to AltaVista and search on “link:www.abccompany.com” (without quotes). Other search engines will do this too, but AltaVista seems to be the best at this type of search.
• Consider paying for links or banner advertisements on web sites that are in the same industry or market, for inexpensive, targeted advertising. This is a good option for small businesses, who cannot afford to advertise on web sites like CNN, MSN, or Yahoo.

Traditional Advertising & Marketing

• A simple way to advertise your web site is to order magnetic sign with your company name and web site address, and put it on your car. This is easy, inexpensive, and is especially effective for local businesses.
• Small businesses that primarily serve a single city or region can draw visitors to their web site by investing in small advertisements in school directories, local newspapers, and other city- or county-wide publications. The ad should have the web site address prominently displayed. Consider providing a special discount to people who mention the ad or to web site visitors.

Media Format

Media format has been a defining characteristic of video cameras, ever since the first camera to use something other than a standard VHS tape was introduced. There are several competing formats, that you must understand and choose between. Most video cameras on the market now use one of the following types of media format to record video: SVHS-C, Hi8™, Digital8®, MiniDV, Mini DVD (Hitachi & Panasonic), and MICROMV™ (Sony). SVHS-C and Hi8 are analog tape formats. The other formats are the various types of the new digital video. Analog versus digital video recording can be compared to video cassette tapes versus DVDs. Digital is designed to have much higher quality video, plus most digital video cameras also have additional features, like the ability to easily transfer video on to your computer.

• MiniDV is the most common format for digital video, and you will find the widest selection of digital video cameras using this format. MiniDV tapes are very small, and as a result, the camcorders can also be very small.
• Digital8 tapes are the same size Hi8 tapes, named for the 8mm wide tape ribbon. Digital8 camcorders have the ability to play analog 8mm tapes, so if you have an 8mm or Hi8 camcorder, you may want a Digital8 camcorder for play your old video tapes and transfer them to your computer.
• Mini DVD and MICROMV formats are fairly new, only available from a few manufacturers, and are more expensive than Digital8 or MiniDV, however they have some nice features and if you are willing to spend more money on the latest technology, you may want to consider one of those.

LCD Panel

Almost all recent analog and digital video cameras have LCD panels that act as a easy-to-see viewfinder, and a small screen to view previously recorded video on. Most LCD panels are 2.5″, but a few have 3.5″. 2.5″ is sufficient for most people, and a 3.5″ screen shouldn’t sway your decision on a camcorder. One thing to remember is that the LCD panel will use a lot more battery power than the viewfinder. If you want to conserve your battery for longer recording time, then you won’t want to use the LCD panel very often.

CCD

CCD is a measure of the quality of the digital video being captured. The higher the CCD, the better video quality. CCD is expressed in pixels or megapixels, and is can be anywhere between 250K pixels (.25 megapixels) and 1.25 megapixels.

Color Viewfinder

Most of the new digital video cameras offer color viewfinders, with the exception of the most basic models, which offer black & white only. A color viewfinder makes it easier to see what you are recording, however, this can be accomplished with the LCD panel too, if you opt for a less expensive video camera with a black & white viewfinder.

USB & FireWire (aka IEEE 1394 or i.Link)

Most new digital video cameras have FireWire and USB outputs that you can use to easily transfer video from your camcorder to your computer. USB is a very common type of transfer method that is available on most computers. FireWire is a much faster method of transferring data from your camcorder to your computer, but it isn’t as common on PCs as USB.

If your computer is new, it probably has both USB and FireWire inputs. If it doesn’t have FireWire or USB, you can purchase an expansion card for most desktop computers that will add one or both of these type ports. These expansion cards typically cost about $50. You may also need to purchase appropriate FireWire or USB cables if they didn’t come with your camcorder. These cables are usually about $20-$30.

Night Technologies (aka Zero Lux)

Most camcorders come with recording modes that allow users to record video in low light. Each manufacturer uses similar technology, but uses their own name for this feature:

• MagicVu (Panasonic)
• NightAlive (JVC)
• NightShot and Super NightShot (Sony)
• Cat’s Eye Lux (Sharp)
• Lux Minimum Illumination (Hitachi)

This feature allows you to use your video camera in almost complete darkness. For example, many new parents use this feature to record a few precious moments of their sleeping infant.

Zoom (Digital & Optical)

Depending on what you intend to use your camcorder for, zoom may or may not be an important factor. First, you must understand the difference between digital and optical zoom. Optical zoom is the kind of zoom on 35mm cameras. Digital zoom, on the other hand, is artificially zooms in to make objects far away seem larger. We recommend primarily using optical zoom.

Most camcorders offer around 10 times optical zoom. For most video recording, this is more than enough. However, if you know you frequently use your camcorder to record far away subjects, you will want to look at video cameras with higher optical zoom. Some camcorders offer 20-22 times optical zoom on cameras in various price ranges.

Digital camcorders vary greatly in the amount of digital zoom offered, ranging from 120x to 700x digital zoom. Video recorded at high digital zoom levels will appear grainy and extremely shaky, however. For this reason, pay attention to the optical zoom offered with the camera, and don’t be swayed by the large digital zoom.

Picture Mode (“Digital Still Picture Capable”)

Many new camcorders also include a “picture mode” feature. Depending on the manufacturer, this feature may go by many different names. This feature allows you to use your camcorder as a digital camera, by saving still pictures to a removable media device, such as Memory Stick, SmartMedia, and CompactFlash. Typically, the quality of these pictures is less than a comparable picture from a standard digital camera. If you have a separate digital camera, this feature is probably not very important, although it is sometimes convenient to have. If you do intend to use this feature in place of a separate digital camera, look for a camcorder capable of taking still pictures at a resolution of 2.0 megapixels or higher.

Physical Size

For the most part, you can look for the smallest camcorder that has the features you want. Keep in mind that the smaller the camcorder, the more expensive usually. In addition, very small camcorders typically do not offer higher ranges of optical zoom.

The main factor that determines the size of the camera is the media format. Digital8 camcorders are much larger than MiniDV, because the media itself is much larger. They are also a very different shape typically. Many of the MiniDV camcorders are tall and narrow, which you may find easier or harder to hold than a more traditionally shaped camcorder. Deciding on the size and shape of your camcorder comes down to your personal preference. We recommend that you go to a store where you can hold each of the camcorders that you are considering before you make a final decision.

Price

The price of camcorders is based on two major things: the media format, and the extra features (such as night technologies and picture mode).

For the budget conscious, expect to spend about $200-$300 for an analog camcorder. Or if you want a digital camcorder, you can get a Digital8 camcorder for between $400 and $500. MiniDV camcorders also start at $400, but can cost up to $1000 or more, depending on the features. And MicroMV and Mini DVD camcorders start at around $900.

Brand Recommendations

Sony is a pioneer in the camcorder market, and has proven to be a manufacturer of high-quality, easy-to-use, and durable equipment. Other brands, such as Panasonic and JVC, are good alternatives, and feature-for-feature are priced competitively with the Sony camcorders. Unless one of the alternative brands offers a specific feature combination not available from Sony, a Sony camcorder is probably your best option.

Megapixels (Resolution)

Most digital cameras these days offer resolution in the range of 2.0 megapixels or greater. Anything in this range will create quality digital images that can easily be printed at sizes up to 5×7. If you want to print 8×10 or larger pictures from your digital camera, you will want to consider a camera that with 3.0 megapixel or greater resolution.

One thing to remember is that the greater the megapixels, the larger the image will appear on your screen. A 2.0 megapixel image is approximately 1600×1200 pixels. An image this size will not fit on most monitors when it is full-size. When emailing pictures to friends or family, you will typically want to resize your digital pictures to 800×600 or 640×480, which is less than 1 megapixel.

Zoom (Digital & Optical)

Depending on what you intend to use your camera for, zoom may or may not be an important factor. First, you must understand the difference between digital and optical zoom. Optical zoom is the kind of zoom on standard 35mm cameras. Digital zoom, on the other hand, is essentially the same as zooming in on your computer, that is, it basically guesses to make a portion of the picture seem larger. We recommend not using digital zoom, and instead relying solely on optical zoom. For this reason, pay particular attention to the optical zoom offered with the camera.

Most standard digital cameras with zoom offer 2-3 times optical zoom, however some offer only digital zoom and a few offer much more powerful zoom, in the range of 8-10 times optical zoom. For everyday picture taking of people, objects, and landscapes, 2-3 times optical zoom is sufficient. If you know you frequently take pictures of far away subjects, you will want to look at cameras with higher optical zoom. Conversely, if you want a basic camera to take pictures of people or objects close to you, you may not need optical zoom.

Memory

Most digital cameras come with some sort of removable media for storing your pictures. Removable media for digital cameras come in many different shapes and sizes. These cards are usually very small, but function similar to a floppy disk, storing data that can later be copied to your computer and deleted from the card. Some popular removable media formats are: SmartMedia, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, MMC, and xD picture cards. If you have another device (such as an MP3 player) that uses one of these media formats, you may want a camera that use the same type.

The type of card is less important than the amount of data that the cards can hold. The amount of data that can be stored on a card typically ranges from 8 MB to 128 MB. Most digital cameras come with cards on the smaller end of this scale, but it is relatively inexpensive to buy a bigger card (approximately $25 to $75, depending on the media format and the number of MB).

Batteries

Digital cameras use many different types of batteries. Some use rechargeable batteries, others use expensive Lithium Ion batteries, and others use standard alkaline batteries. It is often preferable to get a camera that supports more than one battery type. For example, your camera may come with a Lithium Ion battery that will last for several months, but also allow you to use standard AA batteries or a rechargeable battery that you purchase separately.

Rechargeable batteries definitely have the advantage of being cheaper in the long run than either Lithium Ion or alkaline batteries. However, they have to be recharged regularly, which can be problematic if you are using your camera a lot during the day (for example, on a vacation). You don’t want to be stuck with dead batteries in the afternoon! However, if you also have the option of putting in a spare set of AA’s when the rechargeable dies, you will have the best of both worlds.

Movie Mode

Many of the newer digital cameras are now offering a feature that allows you to take short video clips. If you do not have a video camera or if you find the idea of taking short videos without having to lug a video camera around, then you may want a camera that has this feature.

You should know, however, that these videos are often limited to around 10 seconds, they can take up a lot of space on your memory card, and they are not as good of quality as you’d get from an actual video camera. The videos will typically be only a small fraction of the size of your pictures when viewed on the computer, but will take up a lot MORE space on your memory card.

Physical Size

The physical size of your digital camera is one area where you will have to choose between convenience and picture quality. There are some extremely small digital cameras on the market that are very portable, and good choices if you plan to keep your camera in a pocket or a small purse. However, you definitely give up image quality if you choose a camera this small. Generally speaking, the bigger the lens, the better the image quality. You must decide if you are willing to tote around a much larger camera though.

For most people, somewhere in the middle is just fine. For example, there is a large selection of digital cameras that are about the size of a disposable 35mm camera. These cameras are easy enough to carry around with you when you want it, and have big enough lenses that you won’t sacrifice picture quality.

Price

Depending on the features that you want, you can expect a digital camera to be in the $150 – $400 price range. The more expensive cameras are typically either very high resolution (megapixels), very small, or very high zoom. If you don’t need these features, than you can probably buy a camera in the $150-$250 range.

Brand Recommendations

Our preference among digital camera makers is to choose a camera company, not an electronics company. We have found that camera companies have the expertise to make digital cameras with excellent image quality. Among the camera companies, our personal favorite is now Nikon. We personally buy and use Nikon digital cameras and digital SLR cameras.

What is spyware and adware?  

Spyware is software that keeps track of everything you do on the Internet, and then reports all of this behavior (along with information about things like how long it took you to get to each web site, how long you stayed there, etc.) back to a main computer. Not only does this violate your privacy on the Internet, but it also creates a lot of additional traffic across your Internet connection, and often makes web browsing and other online activities much slower than normal.

Adware is additional software that causes you to get more annoying pop-up and pop-under advertisements than normal. 

What you should do 

To keep your computer free of spyware and adware, we recommend running two spy-ware removal programs on a regular basis: Ad-aware and Spybot. These are free programs that will scan your hard drive (like an anti-virus program) to detect and remove any malicious adware or spyware files. These programs can be obtained from the following web sites:

• Ad-aware
• Spybot

To run Ad-aware:

1. Open Ad-aware, and then click Check for updates.
2. Follow the prompts to connect to the update server and download the latest reference file.
3. Click Scan Now, and then click Next to accept the default settings and begin the scan.
4. When the scan completes, click Next.
5. Right-click on the list of ad software and files found, and choose Select All Objects.
6. Click Next to remove the files from your computer. Click OK when it prompts you to confirm.
7. Once the files have been deleted, you can close Ad-aware.

To run Spybot:

(Instructions coming soon!)

We recommend that you run Ad-aware and Spybot on a regular basis, at least once per month, or more often if you find you are having problems. 

What you should do

First, we recommend that you un-install your existing copy of file-sharing programs, such as Kazaa, Morpheus, Limewire or Bearshare as soon as possible.

1. Go to your Start menu, then select to Settings -> Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs.
2. Select the software you want to remove from the list, and then click Remove.
3. Once you have removed the software, you should reboot your computer.

Then, we recommend running two spy-ware removal programs: Ad-aware and Spybot. These are free programs that will scan your hard drive (like an anti-virus program) to detect and remove any malicious ad-ware or spy-ware files. For more information about running these programs to clean your computer, click here.

We recommend that you run Ad-aware and Spybot on a regular basis, at least once per month, or more often if you find you are having problems.