mode

What are all those camera modes for, anyway?

Editors' note: This story was originally published in Feburary 2010. Surprisingly little has changed since then, but enough that it merited an update to include video, 3D, and screenshots of cameras from manufacturers still in the business.

Everyone out there who leaves their camera set on full automatic, raise your hands.

Automatic is great while you're learning your camera, and I frequently recommend it to people who want to step up to a dSLR but are too intimidated by all the settings on the camera. But like any crutch, ultimately you're better off without it. Here's some guidance about all those other modes you could be shooting in.

If you're frequently unhappy with your photos shot in Auto, it's time to substitute some of the camera's decisions with your own. Auto can only guess that you're shooting sports, but you know. Why leave it to chance? Choosing from these modes is the way you provide important information to the camera to help it make better decisions. Yes, it'd be nice if the camera could just take perfect pictures without any thought on your part, but most technology simply isn't that smart yet.

I'll start with some basic terms, then move to the core shooting modes -- ones that have been around forever and that you really should try (if your camera has them) when you're ready to take control of your photography. If you're not ready for these, then jump below to Typical scene program modes and Less-common scene modes. … Read more

Understanding Windows 7's 'GodMode'

Although its name suggests perhaps even grander capabilities, Windows enthusiasts are excited over the discovery of a hidden "GodMode" feature that lets users access all of the operating system's control panels from within a single folder.

By creating a new folder in Windows 7 and renaming it with a certain text string at the end, users are able to have a single place to do everything from changing the look of the mouse pointer to making a new hard-drive partition.

The trick is also said to work in Windows Vista, although some are warning that although it … Read more

Launch control

Micro-Sys Launcher is a cool little bit of freeware that lets you quickly open stuff--files, folders, apps, and such--from the system tray. You can keep shortcuts to all the programs and files you use most often in one easy-to-access location, and launch them with a click. You can group your shortcuts by hierarchy in a tree view or by program association, keeping more frequently used items together. You can even create shortcuts to quickly launch several items at once.

Launcher boasts a drag-and-drop interface that makes creating a quick-launch shortcut as easy as dragging an icon from, for example, the … Read more

No-frills file management

File Synchronizer is a simple utility that allows users to synchronize the contents of files or drives. It's not the most intuitive program we've ever used, but it does seem to work effectively.

The program loses points for its interface, which is virtually impossible to figure out without consulting the online Help file. All of the program's features are organized in a column down the middle of the interface, which divides the two volumes that are going to be synchronized. Once we'd reviewed the Help file, it was easy enough to choose the two folders we … Read more

Snow Leopard slow to sleep

Sometimes users experience an issue where Snow Leopard acts slow when commanded to Sleep Mode. This can happen because of background processes timing out or your system getting backed up while RAM is attempting to write to the hard disk during the sleep process (the more RAM you have, the slower the process could be).… Read more

PDF page numberer

A-PDF Number provides users with a way to add page numbers to locked PDFs. While achieving this difficult task, it keeps things simple and effective, making a great program.

The program's interface was the first good sign. It's laid out clearly and intuitively so users can easily navigate all the choices. The Help file will be an afterthought to most users. Inserting page numbers begins with choosing the PDF from a standard file-searching file tree option. Once that is selected, users can select where their page numbering will begin and end. Next, you click on a radio button … Read more

Apple said to be working on 'world mode' iPhone

The new Verizon Droid, like many a high-profile smartphone just coming onto the market, has been hailed by some as a potential--you know what's coming--iPhone killer. (Chronicling the very first Droid sales in Manhattan the other day, CNET's Maggie Reardon observed that the gadget may actually turn out to be more of a BlackBerry killer.)

But does Verizon Wireless want to deliver a knockout to the iPhone? There's long been speculation that the carrier would sooner or later be offering the Apple smartphone, which since its launch has been solely in the hands of AT&T … Read more

Apple, RIM grab market share from Nokia

As Apple and Research In Motion have won a greater share in the Wi-Fi handset market over the past year, Nokia has lost share.

Though Nokia is still the leading vendor for dual-mode smartphones (Wi-Fi and cellular), its market share dropped to 35 percent in the second quarter, compared with 50 percent in the same period a year ago, according to a report released Monday from In-Stat.

The report "Wi-Fi in Mobile Phones: Dual Mode Becomes the In Thing" tracked the major Wi-Fi phone vendors, including Nokia, Apple, Research In Motion, HTC, and Samsung. Among those, Apple has … Read more

iTunes 9 Tip: Start in Safe Mode

Starting applications (or your OS) in Safe Mode prevents additional applications and add-ons from loading. In the case of starting iTunes in Safe Mode, all those extra visualizers and device plug-ins will be disabled, allowing for a more thorough troubleshooting session.… Read more

Microsoft finalizes Windows 7 'XP Mode'

Microsoft said on Thursday that it has finished development work on the virtualized version of Windows XP that Windows 7 users can use to run programs that won't work on the newer operating system.

In a statement, Microsoft said that it has finalized the code for the free "XP Mode" and that the software will be made available on October 22, the same day that Microsoft launches Windows 7.

Computer makers will also be able to offer Windows XP Mode with their systems, Microsoft said.

Microsoft said back in April that it would offer the XP Mode. … Read more