RootsTech

Well, I'm still recovering from a busy couple of weeks at SLIG and RootsTech but I do want to share what I learned. There is such a wide variety of sessions to attend, I decided to focus on those that could help progress family history here and now.

One-step Webpages by Stephen P. Morse: A Hodgepodge of Lesser Known Unrelated Problems

Part of the reason I chose this talk was because of the presenter. Stephen Morse made a significant impact on the lives of millions of people with the 8086 processor and now with his One-step Webpages he continues to have an impact. I was curious. What is he like? Well, he is brilliant and funny. I left feeling more comfortable using his website which I admit I have used very little up to now.

E-learning Software and Authoring Tools for Genealogical Education– Mark Lowe
Initially I wasn't sure whether to attend this session or not. Boy am I glad I did. Mark alluded to this session in his 2 hour presentation, at the APG conference on Wednesday, titled “Developing Advanced Research Plans While Staying on Track in a Modern World,” so I decided to go. One of the tools I learned about is Screencast-O-Matic, an online screen recorder. I see a future YouTube channel or even including video in this blog, if I can figure out how...

The Powers of Evernote: Photos, URL’s, Censuses, Geo-location, and Stories - Tevya Washburn and Kurt Francom

Being a huge Evernote fan, I was definitely looking forward to this presentation. While it was oriented toward beginners, I came away with a better understanding of several aps that work with Evernote such as:

• Skitch - a drawing tool.
• If This Then That (ifttt.com) - a rule setting ap that can be plugged into Evernote, Facebook, gmail and other. It's used to create rules so for example, you could set up a rule if you post to your blog, then ifttt saves into Evernote.
• Shoeboxed.com allows you to send shoeboxes of photos and documents. They scan and push to your Evernote acct. Then you can tag, etc. if you want.

By the way, did you know the syllabi are available at the RootsTech website for anyone to download, whether you attended or not?

I'll have more in the next day or two. Right now it's time for some rest and NCIS.


© 2012, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Another of My Favorite Android Apps...



Courtesy of clkr.com

A while back I wrote about my new smart phone and asked for advice about Android Apps for genealogy. GeneaPopPop of Stardust 'n' Roots responded that he had CamScanner that allows him "to take pictures of documents, crop them, save as PDF, and email to my desktop." I had heard of this app but hadn't really given it much thought since I figured the same thing could accomplished by taking a picture and editing it with the Photo Editor. GeneaPopPop spurred me to download the CamScanner and give it a try. Boy am I glad I did. Thank you GeneaPopPop for mentioning the CamScanner!!

So why is the CamScanner better than the Photo Editor for documents? Here are two reasons:

1. It really cleans up the image making it clearer and much more readable. It looks just like the original document.
2. If you have a multipage document, you can combine them all into one pdf file.

Fortunately, this app was free to download to my particular phone which was an added benefit. I hope this helps you if you are searching for apps for your Android. More to come...


© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Disclaimer: I have not been paid or compensated in any way for the products mentioned in this post. I'm just expressing my opinions and experiences.

One of My Favorite Android Apps...

...is the photo editor. I found Adobe Photoshop Express (free on my phone) although I'm sure there are any number of good photo editors available. After taking a picture, you can crop, make all kinds of adjustments to exposure, contrast, brightness, make it black and white, etc. You can also add borders and other special effects.

The reason I wanted an app like this was to take a picture, make some quick adjustments - cropping in particular, and then upload it to Facebook, Picassa (where it can be added to my blog) or directly to a blog post. The photo editor has been used for this very purpose in a number of my blog posts. It's a real time saver over having to transfer pictures from a camera and a life saver if I don't have a camera around for those picture perfect moments that I want to share on Facebook or this blog.

I'll be back with more smart phone app suggestions and experiences. Do you have any?

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Disclaimer: I have not been paid or compensated in any way for the products mentioned in this post. I'm just expressing my opinions and experiences.

Computer Setup Lessons Learned

Photo by Michelle Goodrum

Last summer my laptop suddenly began having significant issues, so I decided to make the switch to a different laptop while I still could - before mine totally crashed. As always, one learns a few things when setting up a new computer and transfering data. Today I would like to share with you, what worked, some challenges encountered, and a couple of discoveries. Hopefully this will help you out when you have to set up a new computer.

What Worked

Dropbox: After installing Dropbox on the new computer, all of my files were just "there." No transferring necessary. The files were right where they had been. Since I keep most of my genealogy files in Dropbox, this was a huge time saver. I didn't even miss a step as far as research. It was business as usual.

Evernote: Ditto Dropbox. What more can I say? Whatever was in Evernote, still was in Evernote when installed on the new computer.

Having a current backup:  You knew this was going to come up didn't you? I have an online backup and also backup periodically to DVD. It was time for a new set of DVD backups so I went ahead and made one and used it to transfer the majority of files that weren't on Dropbox or in Evernote. A few items it was easier to retrieve from the online backup. So this part of the setup process while time consuming was relatively easy.

Challenges

Outlook files: Oh where, oh where, does Outlook save those files? This was the biggest challenge and I finally solved it in my post, "Solve a Problem - Outlook 2007."

Photoshop Elements: I hadn't given a thought as to where Elements Organizer was saving the catalog of photos brought into Organizer. I had been using Organizer just long enough to be worried when I discovered this little issue. So after some searching, I was able to find the file and transfer it. Now it's stored in my Pictures folder.

The real point here is that we all probably have some files that we don't know where they are saved and thus will have a difficult time transferring them to a new computer. Do you know where all of your files are saved?

Discoveries:

Saving as much as possible in as few main folders as practical was a time saver. My main folders:

• Dropbox
• My Document
• My Pictures
• My Videos
• My Music

I try and discover where a program is set to "save" and if it's not to one of the above, change it (well maybe not Outlook that seems to cause a lot of problems for me). This is especially true for the various genealogy programs. Having them save to Dropbox or at least My Documents is helpful when the time comes to change computers.

I hope this helps you prepare for the time when you switch to a new computer. Or at least that I have given you some things to think about. What have some of your experiences been?

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

A Private Domain Name for your Blog?

Artwork from Office

A number of genealogy bloggers have their blogs on their own domain as opposed to, say, Blogger or Word Press. I have been considering doing the same thing. J. Craig Anderson's article in Sunday's Arizona Republic (page 1 of the Business section, if you are a subscriber), titled "Private domain names multiply" got me to thinking.

Basically the article was about domain registrar GoDaddy.com and how they invented "private" domain registration through their affiliate company, Domains By Proxy. Apparently registering your domain through a company like this keeps your name and contact information out of the searchable "Whois" directory. If you are concerned about privacy or stalkers this would be a good way to go. So my question is this:

If you have your own domain, or are considering getting one for your blog or genealogy business, do you think it is better to go with a "regular" domain registration or a "private" domain registration and why?

Please respond in the comments. This inquiring mind really wants to know!

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Solving a Problem - Outlook 2007

The road one travels in setting up a new laptop always has a few bumps in it. Last summer I had to travel this road again when my old laptop began having major issues. The biggest pothole I encountered was in getting my Outlook 2007 files transferred.

The features I use in Outlook are: calendar, task list, and contacts. I do not use Outlook for email. As it turns out, Microsoft creates several data files for Outlook and stores them in a couple of different places. It took quite a bit of research and some trial and error to get all the important Outlook configurations and data transferred over and set up. In the end it was pretty easy but the road to that point was a rocky one.

If you ever need to do this, here are some steps you can try. It worked for me. I’m not saying it’s the best or only way, it just worked. These instructions worked for Windows 7. You might have to do things a little differently if you are using a previous version of Windows. Microsoft has several help articles you might find helpful. One in particular was indispensible in solving my issues.

First you will need to be able to see “hidden” folders:

1.     In Windows, click the Start button, and then click Control Panel.

2.     Click Appearance and Personalization.

·        NOTE:  If you are using Control Panel Classic View, double-click Folder Options, and then continue with step 4.

3.     Click Folder Options.

4.  On the View tab, under Advanced settings, under Files and Folders, under Hidden files and folders, select Show hidden files and folders.

Next you need to find the different types of files:

Note: drive and user will vary from computer to computer and situation to situation. 

Personal Folders File (.pst): Contains emails, calendars, contacts, tasks, and notes. Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook 

Command Bar and Menu Customizations (.dat):

Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook\outcmd.dat 

Navigation Pane Settings (.xml): Includes shortcuts, Calendar and Contact links.

Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Outlook\profile name.xml

Outlook Contacts AutoComplete (.nk2): AutoComplete is a feature which displays suggestions for names and e-mail addresses as you begin to type them. These

suggestions are possible matches from a list of names and e-mail addresses that you have typed before, known as the AutoComplete name list. (It’s not something I seem to have at this time, but then you never know about later on…)

Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook

Print Styles (Outlprnt with no extension):  

Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Outlook

Signatures (.rtf, .txt, .htm): I don’t seem to have any of these files at this time but again, you never know what might happen down the road.

Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Signatures

Stationery (.htm):

Location: drive:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Stationery

Custom Forms:

Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Forms

I don’t seem to have this.

Dictionary (.dic)

Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\UProof

Templates (.oft)

Location: drive:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates

I’m not sure how you would use templates in Outlook but I notice that the Word templates that I have created are in this file.

There we have it. A nice list of where to look for some of the Outlook files. Hopefully this will make the road much smoother the next time we find ourselves needing to transfer the various files related to Outlook. At least now I know where to look online for help and the keywords to use (outlook 2007 files configurations save). I hope this helps you too!

This post was written for #31WBGB: Solve a Problem.

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Stepping into the Next Generation

Recently I wrote about my quest for and purchase of a smart phone. These past few weeks since purchasing the Android Bionic, I feel like I have stepped straight onto the starship Enterprise. Captain Picard, beam me up! This little futuristic device is changing my genealogy life and I would like to share with you how.

First, my absolute favorite feature on the Android Bionic is (you are not going to believe this - well maybe you will), the microphone dictation option that appears whenever the little keyboard pops up. Instead of typing out a text message, blog post, blog reply, or anything else that normally requires typing on that tiny screen, you can select the microphone and dictate your message a little bit at a time. Honestly, I giggle every single time I use this feature, which is a lot. For me, it's a huge time saver. You can also edit pretty easily if something doesn't come out just right.

Second, here is a list of the Apps I installed and began using just as soon as I had taken the little Verizon training class, which by the way, was incredibly helpful:

1. Google Reader: This is the most used feature on my phone. In fact, I actually prefer to do most of my blog reading this way now. It seems like I can identify the most interesting posts faster and then read and respond to them (using that little microphone feature of course). The only drawback is articles containing hyperlinks that I would like to bookmark (I still use Internet Explorer for this). I'm feeling pressure to get that Genealogy Toolbox set up so hyperlinks can be accessed from whatever device I'm using.
2. Evernote: I love having access to my notes anywhere and being able to add them directly into Evernote on the fly.
3. Dropbox: Now I have instant access to most of my genealogy files. Also, I discovered that after taking a photograph on the Android, I can put it in Dropbox for later drag and drop transfer to the photos folder on the main computer.
4. Blogger: I haven't used this one much yet other than for posting comments. I am looking forward to being able to create some blog posts using this app.
5. Adobe Reader: Pretty self explanatory.
6. The Weather Channel: Besides everyday uses, there's no more worries over how to prepare for weather when visiting that cemetery.
7. Facebook:  I think this one is pretty self explanatory :)

Some highly used apps that came on my Android that have or will come in handy for family history endeavors:

1. Gmail: Since just starting the ProGen program, all of the ProGen related emails have been read and dealt with quickly wherever I may be. Any of the attachments can be saved directly to my ProGen folder on Dropbox. How's that for organized?
2. Browser and Map: I probably don't need to elaborate too much on these other than to say I'm really happy to have them.
3. Quick Office: This app has Quickword (the equivalent of Word), Quicksheet (Excel), Quickpoint (Power Point) and Quick PDF. I haven't had too much of an opportunity to make use of any of these other than Quickword (briefly) so I'll write about how I use them for genealogy some other time. But with Dropbox, I envision anything I create using Quick Office can be saved to Dropbox and synced with my other devices. No more forgetting which device that document is stored on.

I'll be writing more in the future on my family history related experiences using the Android. I'm curious, how do you use your smart phone (Android, iphone, etc.) to help with your family history and genealogical endeavors? What are some of your favorite apps?


Disclaimer: I was not asked to write about or paid or given anything by any of the companies mentioned in this article. These products I use and either pay for with my hard earned money or use a free version.

Artwork by ~d-gREg
© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

My New Smart Phone - The Bionic Droid

Motorola Lapdock

If you haven't been following along, I asked readers for advice on which "smart" phone to purchase and then wrote about my final selection criteria.

When Youngest Child and I walked into the Verizon store, we headed straight for the section that had the Droids. Lo and behold, there was a new phone sitting among the Droids that had been there the other day on my visit. Immediately I noticed the camera quality seem to be better than that of the other Droids. I also noticed you could get a device called a Lapdock which allows you to “plug” your phone into what looks like a mini laptop. Thus you have a larger screen than that on the phone and the keyboard to type on! I have to say those tiny letter buttons on the Droids were driving me crazy. So after playing around with the various Droids for a few minutes I was pretty sold on this new Bionic Droid phone. And I sprung for the Lapdock too!

I was able to meet my criteria of 4G, and a good quality camera. After much discussion regarding the battery life issue I learned the following:

• The battery on the Droid simply won't last as long as the battery on my old phone (I've been known to toss my phone into my purse for three days at a time and I still have battery left).
• I will need to plug in more often than I'm used to but I think that by plugging in when I'm at home, recharging on the Lapdock, and using a charger in the car I'll be fine. I'll just need to make some habit adjustments (no more leaving my phone in my purse for a couple of days).
• Also, I was told to turn off the wi-fi, Bluetooth and GPS when I’m not using those features. Apparently they are big power drains.

Regarding my requirement to have the calendar on the Droid sync with my Outlook calendar, I'm still working on it. It looks like I need to find an app and I'm confident that I will eventually.

Really good tip for anyone with a smart phone. Get yourself a stylus. It made all the difference in the world for me.

Another really good tip for Verizon customers. Verizon offers free classes on how to use your smart phone. It was worth my time. I feel like I'm going to be a power Droid user and have joined the 21st century.

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Disclaimer: I am a paying Verizon customer. I received nothing for writing this post. I'm just saying what I think.

If you haven't been following along, I asked readers for advice on which "smart" phone to purchase and then wrote about my final selection criteria.

When Youngest Child and I walked into the Verizon store, we headed straight for the section that had the Droids. Lo and behold, there was a new phone sitting among the Droids that had been there the other day on my visit. Immediately I noticed the camera quality seem to be better than that of the other Droids. I also noticed you could get a device called a Lapdock which allows you to “plug” your phone into what looks like a mini laptop. Thus you have a larger screen than that on the phone and the keyboard to type on! I have to say those tiny letter buttons on the Droids were driving me crazy. So after playing around with the various Droids for a few minutes I was pretty sold on this new Bionic Droid phone. And I sprung for the Lapdock too!

I was able to meet my criteria of 4G, and a good quality camera. After much discussion regarding the battery life issue I learned the following:

• The battery on the Droid simply won't last as long as the battery on my old phone (I've been known to toss my phone into my purse for three days at a time and I still have battery left).
• I will need to plug in more often than I'm used to but I think that by plugging in when I'm at home, recharging on the Lapdock, and using a charger in the car I'll be fine. I'll just need to make some habit adjustments (no more leaving my phone in my purse for a couple of days).
• Also, I was told to turn off the wi-fi, Bluetooth and GPS when I’m not using those features. Apparently they are big power drains.

Regarding my requirement to have the calendar on the Droid sync with my Outlook calendar, I'm still working on it. It looks like I need to find an app and I'm confident that I will eventually.

Really good tip for anyone with a smart phone. Get yourself a stylus. It made all the difference in the world for me.

Another really good tip for Verizon customers. Verizon offers free classes on how to use your smart phone. It was worth my time. I feel like I'm going to be a power Droid user and have joined the 21st century.

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Smart Phones on Sorting Saturday

About a week ago, I posted asking for advice on which "Smart" phone to purchase. A few days ago, I took a deep breath, the list of suggestions and recommendations from my readers, and Youngest Child, before heading down to our Verizon store. I have to admit that when I began this journey, I really wanted an iphone. In the end, these factors influenced my final decision.

• Availability of 4G network on the device. Since this is the future and I hear it is much faster than 3G, I decided that this was a must have. Right off the bat the iphone and Windows phones were eliminated since Verizon does not have them with 4G. Had to think about this for a few days because I really wanted that iphone. Sorry Tracy (The Pieces of My Past), I was with you on the iphone!
• Address the battery life issue with the various Droids. Several of you pointed this out which got my attention. Thank you for the tip:
• Susan Clark - Nolichucky Roots
• Claudia's Genealogy Blog
• Nira Porter Chambliss - The Door Keepers
• Karen (sorry, I couldn't find a blog)
• Camera Quality. Since I love photography, a good camera is a must.
• Ability to sync the calendar on the phone with my Outlook calendar on my laptop. This is really important to me and it appears that I should be able to address it by picking out the right ap. I took a little leap of faith and made the assumption I would be able to get it worked.

Barbara (Life From the Roots), I hope you found this  and everyone's comments helpful. I sure did.

Hold on to your hats, next I'll tell you what happened when I went into the Verizon store to make my final decision.

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Advice Needed-Why Do You Like Your Smart Phone?

We have come a long way from the olden days when a phone was a phone. Now we have all kinds of "smart" phones and I'm now eligible for one! Only I don't know which one to choose. There's so much to consider. I am hoping that my like minded genealogy friends will be able to provide some valuable advice. Do I go with an iphone, an Android or a Windows phone?

If you have a smart phone, or are looking to get one, what factors influenced your decision? Were there certain features one phone had that you liked or didn't like?

I figure besides the phone feature, I would mostly:

• Take pictures
• Blog
• Use Evernote
• Use Facebook
• Write notes and ideas to myself that would need to get to my computer.
• Make appointments on the calendar that would also need to get to Outlook on my computer.

I'm sure there's lots of other things a genealogist, blogger, mom, family executive assistant and college softball fan would want to do with a smart phone.

I would love to get your input and advice!

To read what happens next, read, Smart Phones on Sorting Saturday.

© 2011, copyright Michelle Goodrum

Tech Tuesday-A Magic Wand for your Genealogy

A while back I read about this thing called the Magic Wand by Vupoint Solutions over at Eastman's Online Genealogy Newsletter. It's a hand held scanner that fits into your purse, briefcase or maybe even your coat pocket. After reading the reviews and noticing that several individuals were using it for genealogy, I decided I had to have one and ordered it.


I've now had the opportunity to use it on several research trips and have fallen in love with my new portable scanner. This has opened the door for paperless research for me. That's right; no more photocopies. Plus the Magic Wand is way faster than any photocopier. While researching in several books this summer, I've used the Magic Wand to scan the book covers, title pages and whatever interior material is of interest. I can remain seated with my research material so there is no more running back and forth to the copier, which saves a ton of time.

The only possible drawback I have been able to find is that a steady hand is really important. So if you are trying to scan something that you want a super image of, the Magic Wand may or may not work for you depending on how steady your hand is. However, for the copies where I am just after the information, it's perfect, fast, and there are no pieces of paper to keep track of when I leave.

Here's an example of a scan and a picture of the Magic Wand. The scan has not been edited. That's what was scanned with the Magic Wand and uploaded to my computer.









[I have no affiliation with VuPoint and have not been paid or received anything to write this testimonial. I'm just a GeneaGeek who spent her own money on a new toy tool that she loves.]

© 2010, copyright Michelle Goodrum

What I Use Technology Wise for What I do Genealogy Wise

Thomas MacEntee over at GeneaBloggers has a meme called What I Do. Thomas says,

you basically list what you use in terms of technology to either run your genealogy business or pursue your family history as a hobby.

I am still a hobbyist but thinking of going the "professional" route in the not too distant future.  Here's my list:

* Hardware: HP Pavillion dv3500

* External storage: Western Digital MyBookWorld 1Terabyte

* Online storage: Dropbox

* Backup: Backblaze, Dropbox (really important stuff), Norton 360 Premier (important stuff)
* Firewall: Norton 360 Premier

* Virus protection: Norton 360 Premier

* Spyware: Norton 360 Premier

* Printer: HP Photosmart 3210 All-In-One

* Phone: Envy 2, Skype for the computer

* Mobile media: iPod Touch

* Music player: iPod Touch

* Car audio: Whatever has the On/Off button

* eBook Reader: Kindle

* Browser: Internet Explorer

* Blog: Blogger

* RSS: Reader is Google Reader, burner is Feedburner

* Text editor: Microsoft Word 2007

* Graphics:  Adobe Photoshop Elements (I really need to get a newer version!)

* Screen capture: I use the old PrtScrn key and paste into Word or something

* Social media: Facebook

* Social bookmarking: Uh, I'm not that sophisticated yet.

* Social profile: Hmm

* URL shortener: Haven't used one yet.

* Office suite: Microsoft Office 2007

* E-mail: web based provided by internet service provider

* Calendar: Outlook 2007

* Accounting: Quicken 2010, Excel

* PDF generator: http://www.pdfmyurl.com/

* Genealogy database: The Master Genealogist

* Genealogy tools: Clooz, Transcript, Microsoft OneNote, Excel

* Other tech stuff: VuPoint Solutions Magic Wand for scanning books and papers (in libraries, etc-it's a handheld scanner), Canon Rebel T1i.

Now that I've completed this list and read some of the other ones, I've come to realize a few things:
1. There are some technology items out there that I want.
2. This could be a helpful list to have in the future.
3. What a great reference for ideas as others post their lists!

I encourage you to give it a go, if you haven't already. Thanks Thomas!

© 2010, copyright Michelle Goodrum