++ Hitachi to Halt Production of CRT Monitors
++ McDonald's: Burgers, Fries And Mice
++ Improve the Look of Your Photos
++ Prepaid Disposable Cellular Phone
++ My 15 minutes of fame (again)
++ Work on my List of Newsletters
++ Latest Additions to Hewie's Favorites Web Site

Welcome to this issue of Hewie's Favorites News & Reviews. I have done 2 updates to the links since the last update. The new links are listed below. You can always see the latest links at http://www.hewie.net/23.html

++ Hitachi to Halt Production of CRT Monitors

Citing a slowing PC market and the rising popularity of LCDs, company shifts its focus. As seen at < http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,56186,tk,dn072601X,00.asp >Hitachi has decided to halt production of cathode ray tubes for computer monitors by the end of this year and concentrate exclusively on liquid crystal display panels, the company announced Thursday.

Sluggishness in the global PC market has reduced demand for PC monitors, sending prices falling. At the same time, demand for LCD monitors has been increasing as they have come into the price range of average consumers.

++ McDonald's: Burgers, Fries And Mice

The newest branch of McDonald's in Israel opened on Sunday as the fast food chain's first cyber-outlet in the world. The Tel Aviv branch is stocked with over 20 personal computers that customers can use to access the Internet at $2.00 for 20 minutes online - while enjoying their kosher burgers and milkshakes. The cyber-restaurant also has oversized computer screens that advertise events and Web sites, and sells Microsoft software at the counter. Young children can play computer games for free at special stations. The cyber-site was developed in conjunction with MSN Israel. According to a Nielsen/Net Ratings study released last month, Israelis use the Internet almost as much as Americans and more than Europeans in 14 countries, spending an average of nearly 8-1/2 hours a month online. Omri Padan, CEO of McDonald's Israel, said that the cyber-restaurant "reflects the lifestyle of youngsters in Israel and in the world -- to eat fast food and use the Internet at the same time." [SOURCE: ZDNet, AUTHOR: Reuters] < http://www.zdnet.com/ecommerce/stories/main/0,10475,2795470,00.html >

++ Improve the Look of Your Photos

I found a great article/tutorial on how to improve the look of your photos, make them crisp and adjust the colors. It is geared to improving pictures for web use, but applies for any use including printing. The author shows common problems in scanned or digital camera images and how to fix them. http://www.webreference.com/graphics/column49/

By the way, it's not a lengthy article, but does cover several web pages. There are photo examples. Enjoy.

++ Prepaid Disposable Cellular Phone

This came from a newsletter I get from Brian Livingston. PrepaidDisposable.com is bringing just such a phone to market. The $39.95, 0.9-inch plastic device comes with 100 minutes of call time, which can be used to call anywhere within the 48 states with no long-distance or roaming charges. That's 40 cents a minute, which is more expensive than contract cell service. But the whole point of this cheap phone is to avoid one-year contracts, expensive handsets, and worries about misuse. It's also cheaper than the prepaid cell phones that are available at convenience stores. http://www.prepaiddisposable.com/id24.htm

++ My 15 minutes of fame (again)

I subscribe to "The LangaList," a free and spamproof email newsletter from the computer author and columnist Fred Langa.

I submitted a question to him. Here is that question and his response. 5) Reader Question Re: Outlook Folders In response to "Ouch! Large Outlook Folders Can Become Unreadable" ( http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-07-09.htm#5 ): I also save emails and found that messages from years ago often come in handy. Since I switched to Outlook 2000 a while ago, I have had a problem getting old messages without a lot of work. I back up my messages to a backupxxxx.pst file (xxxx denoting date) and then write the file to a CD for safe keeping. When I need a message that is archived in this backup file, Outlook won't open the file from the CD. Apparently it needs to write to the file. I copy the backup file to the hard drive and change the setting from read-only. When I "file / open / personal files (*.pst), it imports the entire file back into Outlook. After finding the needed message, I have to find a way to delete all of the imported and old messages.

Do you have some trick or know of a way that makes it easy to read old messages without all of this work? --- Hewie Poplock

As mentioned in an earlier item, I don't use Outlook, and haven't for several years (since I left corporate life). But when I used, like Hewie, I also sometimes needed to dig something out of an archived PST file. I'd keep the old, archived PST file from contaminating the current one this way: I'd exit Outlook and rename the current PST file to something like *.PXX (changing the file extension so Outlook won't recognize it). Then, I'd copy the archive file to the mail folder, and give it what had been the current PST folder's name. In effect, this simply lets Outlook temporarily use the archived PST file as if it were the current PST. I'd then open Outlook and search for whatever email I needed, but without sending or receiving any new emails. When I found what I needed from the archive, I'd close Outlook, and put the PST files back the way they were..

That worked, but it certainly can't be called elegant. 8-) Perhaps other readers have a better idea: If so, please share your suggestions via this special mailbox: outlook@langa.com. TIA! http://www.langa.com/newsletters/2001/2001-07-19.htm

++ Work on my List of Newsletters

I continue to update my list of email newsletters that I receive. I have over 70 that I receive. No wonder I spend so much of my home computer time reading emails. I will feature some of the newsletters in coming issues of this newsletter.


++ Please pass this newsletter on to your friends, relatives and co-workers. Urge them to subscribe and visit Hewie's Favorites often. Here are the latest additions to Hewie's Favorites: