Showing posts with label computers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label computers. Show all posts

Saturday, August 18, 2018

DesignEvo: Free Logo Maker Reviewed

Need a logo in minutes? DesignEvo is a free online logo maker which gives users the ability to make a logo in minutes; whether a novice or graphics professional DesignEvo provides the online software to make, create and design a logo quickly and easily.

Easy As 1-2-3

 

DesignEvo promises that a logo can be made in minutes and what is promised is delivered. I actually timed the making of this logo with a DesignEvo template. I used my lifestyle website and tagline to explore designing a new logo.


How To Use DesignEvo


I launched the free logo maker, scrolled down to my chosen category (Letter), scrolled through the options, entered the website name (or Company Name),  tagline and voila! Total creation time including download and social share =  2.5 minutes.
Savvy Age Logo
After creating the logo I quickly modified a few parts of the design. I tweeked the size,  modified the dot icons, changed the background color and then proceeded to download the logo and the required social share.

The requirement for a FREE logo to download for your use is very simple; a social share is required prior to downloading and credit on your website or blog. After downloading you will find a zip file with the logo as a jpg, png and a readme file with the share requirements.


What You See Is What You Get

The design interface is very user friendly and intuitive. Once the logo is created a Preview is available to see your logo on business cards, letterhead or media products.

This is a very nice program for novices to instantly create a logo by using the provided templates; for those with more advanced graphic skills the online software has the features to further customize the logo.



Customize Your Free Logo

Your logo can be easily customized with the color, font and transparency options. If you have the HEX colors for your company then the color of your logo can be changed with a few clicks of the mouse. The interface is clean, self explanatory and easy to navigate; if help is needed video tutorials and FAQ's are available under Support.


Who Is DesignEvo?

The About page of DesignEvo gives insight into the evolution of DesignEvo. Pearl Mountain developed Fotojet, a free online collage maker and is also the creator of DesignEvo. The logo maker is free or users have the option to purchase advanced features for a one time annual fee. Logo features such as resolution, copyright, vector files are restricted to the paid version.


Recommendation

I enjoyed the ease of using DesignEvo, the user friendly interface and the instantaneous results of a ready to use logo within minutes.  Colors, fonts, icons and graphics are just a click away to personalize your logo to your brand or create a brand new logo with a customizable template.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, August 20, 2016

A Review of the AOC Computer Monitor

AOC Computer Monitor
AOC 24-Inch Computer Monitor

Well, there I was working on my computer when suddenly, with no warning, my computer monitor dimmed and the picture slowly faded away.  Knowing very little about the inner workings of computers, I had no idea what just happened.

I tried rebooting the computer, but to no avail. I then called my local computer repair shop and described the problem. Their advice was to bring in the tower to my desktop computer for them to run a diagnostics.  Since this service is FREE, I was happy to do so.  Turned out the computer is just fine (thank goodness), so the problem was the monitor. 




Blog post author's old computer monitor
Old Computer Monitor (c) Wednesday Elf

My old monitor was part of a desktop computer setup I purchased about eight years ago, so it isn't all that surprising that it finally wore out.  The solution ~ buy a new monitor.

Since most computer monitors are interchangeable with any computer setup, it didn't really matter which brand of monitor I bought. Therefore,  I went searching for the best buy.  I didn't need anything really fancy. I'm not a gamer, so didn't need a special gaming monitor.  So it really came down to getting the most for the money.  



AOC 24-Inch Computer Monitor

 

Image of my new computer monitor
My NEW Computer Monitor (c) Wednesday Elf
The monitor I purchased is the AOC 24-inch slim design LED flat screen.  My old monitor was also a flat screen, but was just 19 inches. I'm still getting used to the bigger screen! 

 

On the subject of the 'bigger screen', I noticed quite a difference in the appearance of icons and fonts on this 24-inch monitor. With a larger 'space', everything appeared smaller. After awhile, I discovered there was a way to get back to viewing things on my new monitor the way I was used to. My cousin stopped by for a visit and was telling me a story about how he changed the DISPLAY on his 92-year-old dad's computer monitor to a larger font so he could 'see' the words with his Macular Degeneration limiting his eyesight.   So, following my cousin's instructions, I did a similar change to the size of my fonts.  

 

Changing the Monitor Display

 

In case you are wondering, simply go to the Start Menu, click on Control Panel, then Appearance, then Display.  

 

Computer image of how to change the monitor display

Under the Display tab you will see something that says something similar to "change the size of text and other items on your screen". There are some preset options (small, medium, large) and one option that states 'set custom text'. The 'medium' choice is preset at 125% larger than normal and that works well for my Uncle, but is too much larger than I need.  So I chose my own percentage and found that about 108% larger makes everything on my screen look the way it did when I had just a 19-inch monitor.  Nice to know that you can have something new that is 'bigger and better', and still have it display the way you want.

 

Key Features of the AOC Monitor



  •  eSaver software to set low-power configuration
  •  23.6" viewable image with 16:9 aspect ratio
  •  Narrow bezel and slim design
  •  Multimedia connectivity with VGA and DVI ports
  •  VESA 100mm wall-mount compliant

This AOC monitor can be found in a variety of places, including Walmart, but I decided to buy mine at Staples because it was on sale this week. 





AOC began as Admiral in Chicago in 1934.  In 1967 the company became the Admiral Overseas Corporation (AOC).  Established in Taiwan, it became the first manufacturer of color televisions for export. Today AOC is known as the Worldwide Leader in Display Manufacturing.

Back Online!

 

Illustration of a computer monitor with a happy smile
Image courtesy of Pixabay

I picked up my computer tower from the repair shop after they checked it out and found it in fine shape.  On the same  trip, I brought home my new monitor.  I unpacked and set up the monitor,  plugged all the cords back into the tower, and turned it on.  My new monitor immediately lit up nice and bright and I was once again 'back in business'. I was without a computer for less than 24 hours, but missed it terribly! It's amazing how dependent we have become on our computers!

Quick Links for a Computer Monitor by AOC:


Review by Wednesday Elf. 

Click here to read more of my Reviews







Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Thursday, May 5, 2016

How to Store Your Passwords

How do you store your passwords? Let's review three choices to consider as we celebrate World Password Day.
Happy World Password Day! This is a holiday that everyone within the sound of my written voice can celebrate; if you're on a computer, you almost positively have at least one password. Or a hundred of them, and therein lies the problem. How do you store all those passwords? Better yet, how do you remember them? Let's review some of the best ways to store the passwords that you use online.

But first, let's talk a little bit about why there is a World Password Day. Cybercrime is huge in the news these days. Rarely a week goes by that we don't learn of another hack by some group of unknown criminals on the computer records of yet another well-known large company, bank, or perhaps worse, government agency.

It is said that there are two groups of people online, those who've been hacked and those who don't yet know they've been hacked. It's hard to imagine how much personal information, often including account numbers and passwords, is in the hands of criminals who have nothing but bad things in mind. Likely they plan to sell all the compromised information they can get their hands on to the highest bidder with no regard at all to how their illegal deeds might adversely affect the average computer user.

While there's little we as individuals can do to stop this widespread criminal behavior, the best thing we can do to keep our own online information safe is to protect access to it by using good, strong passwords and storing them properly.

Care to guess what the two most-used passwords in the world are? At the top of the list is the numeric sequence 123456 while second is the word "password." If you use either of those on any of your online accounts, I have three words for you: No! No! No! It takes mere seconds to create a strong password, one that even the worst bad guy's password-stealing robot can't easily hack. For some simple tips to follow when creating a password, both do's and don't's, visit the World Password Day website. It's a fun and informative site where you'll probably learn a thing or two.

Once you've created your new long, strong passwords, one for each and every account you use, you'll need to figure out how to safely store them. Here are three choices to consider.

Kaspersky Password Manager is a great way to keep your personal passwords safe!
1. Hire a manager. The easiest way is to store all of your passwords with the help of a password manager such as the highly-recommended Kaspersky Password Manager (available in both a free and a paid version). This program syncs your passwords across devices, which is very handy. It will also help you develop strong passwords that are hard to crack, always a good thing. Learn more then download the free version or buy the paid version (just $14.99, price subject to change) at the link.

2. Write them down. If you're old fashioned, as I tend to be, you might want to keep track of your passwords yourself by writing them down on paper. Or use a simple Rolodex. The one in the picture above is mine. The alphabetical tabs make it easy to file the cards by site name or URL and it doesn't take much room on your desk top. This is a good solution for a home office, but I wouldn't use it in a public work space where anyone who walks by could take a peek or, worse, grab it and take off with it. Also, it isn't easy to pack in my purse when I travel. That's where the next option comes in.

This personal password logbook is a great way to store all the passwords you use online.
3.  Use a password journal. I really like this personal password logbook or journal! It's designed specifically for recording internet addresses and their passwords as well as other useful information about your computer, your software, your ISP, your email addresses, and more. The front label is removable, so the contents are stored discretely. The elastic band helps by keeping the book closed until you want to open it. I really like the cover design, too, which is just one of several available for this line of password journals or logbooks. (You'll see them at the link.) While I keep a short list of passwords with me in my purse, it's barely sufficient and not nearly as efficient as this pretty book which right now costs less than $7 (price subject to change).

A word of caution: House fires happen. I know first hand. So if you depend on a Rolodex, sticky notes, or just a simple notebook for storing passwords, make sure you have a backup somewhere (and not on an external hard drive in your home; they burn, too). The Kaspersky system is probably the best choice for storing passwords or, if you still want to do it yourself, just make sure you've set up a file in the cloud somewhere that you can retrieve from anywhere in case of emergency. The price is very reasonable and very worth it when you consider the time it takes to retrieve and/or change every password you have. Again, I know.

So, how do you store your passwords? Do they need updating? How will you celebrate World Password Day? While it officially falls on the first Thursday of May (May 4, 2017), this information is important every day of the year. I hope you'll use it to keep both your data and your passwords safe!

~ Susan
Read more of my reviews.




Posted by Susan Deppner

Susan Deppner

About the Author

Susan Deppner is a baby boomer, a cancer survivor, and a Southerner who believes in the Golden Rule. She enjoys writing about food, faith, and fitness; health, home, and holidays; people, places, pets, and patriotism, and more. Follow Susan on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.




Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Saturday, April 30, 2016

Reviewing the Wireless Computer Mouse

Logitech Wireless Mouse
Logitech Wireless Optical Mouse - Silver

No one minds a 'mouse in the house'  when it's a Computer Mouse, a necessary accessory to operating your desktop or laptop computer. 

I've gone through a few 'computer mice' over the years, but they were always the ones with a cord that plugged into the computer. When my most current 'mouse' wore out (stopped scrolling, which was an annoyance), I needed to purchase a new one.  I fully expected to acquire another mouse with a cord, until I got to the store and realized that almost ALL of the ones available today were 'cordless'.  Oh no, the mouse lost his tail. 


I'm one of those consumers who is slow to move on to 'the latest and greatest' when it comes to technology, mainly because each 'step up' seems to involve a learning curve.  At 'grandparent age', the learning curve for me is much longer and slower than it is for todays' younger people who are growing up in a technical world and know no other. My world began before computers and, admittedly even before television! 



Shopping for a New Computer Mouse


After looking at all of the computer mice available at the store, and talking to a knowledgeable store employee, I realized that the ones with a cord had a very limited selection (ONE model; black only) and were actually MORE expensive than the wireless mouse that was on sale that day. 


My new computer mouse
My New Computer Mouse
When I ended up purchasing the Logitech  wireless optical computer mouse, it came with a tiny little nano receiver that you simply plug into your computer's USB port. 


Back Side of Wireless Mouse Showing on/off Switch
Back Side of Wireless Mouse Showing on/off Switch

It operates on one AA battery (included and pre-installed) which provides two years of cordless life. 

You can even turn off the 'mouse' with a little button on the bottom when not in use, extending the life of the battery.  The Logitech M320 wireless optical mouse is also backed by a 1-year warranty.


Happiness is a New (Working) Computer Mouse


I LOVE my new computer mouse. It works perfectly  through the reliable wireless connectivity with plug-and-forget Nano receiver and there is no cord to get hung up or in the way! And the ergonomic design fits my hand perfectly and comfortably. 



My computer desk
My Computer Desk

I chose the silver mouse with a pebbly design shown here, as my computer keyboard is black and my desktop is gray.  But wireless mice also come in a variety of colors and styles to suit any décor or mood. 






Quick Links:



  • Logitech and other brands of wireless mice are available in many colors and styles on Amazon.
  • The story behind the invention of the Computer Mouse and how it got its name can be found on a Review This! post called "A Mouse Review for Race your Mouse Day"

 





    Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


    Sunday, February 8, 2015

    Review of The Best PC to PC Transfer Device

    PC to Pc Transfer Device
    PC to Pc Transfer Device
    I can't say enough good things about this PC-to-PC data transfer device! We've had this Tornado Data Transfer Tool for years and years: I'm trying to remember what year my husband bought it...maybe 2005 or 2006?

    Of course, since then, we've had to transfer data numerous times from an old PC to a new PC, and it's still as easy to use now as it was then!
    I Was Really Mad that My Husband Bought Yet Another Gadget!
    Let's hope he never reads this page, 'cause he was right about this gadget...well worth the money and not expensive! He knows he was right about this one already; I've admitted it to him! Big girls don't cry? lol.
    The thing sat in its package for a few years before I took it out to use it! My first thoughts on new devices are usually how they're going to suck hours out of my day trying to learn and configure them...you get the picture! Well, well, well, it turns out it's as simple as 1,2,3!
    1. Plug the USB into One Computer
    2. Plug the Other USB end into the Other Computer
    3. Open up the Tornado on both computers, read the screen, and drag and drop to transfer
    Seriously, it's that easy! On both computers, the screen says 'This Computer' and 'The Other Computer' so you can easily know which files are on which!
    Again, at that point, just drag and drop the files you want to transfer.
    My Most Recent Computer Crisis - and How I Used It
    Yep, I was having computer troubles...pulling my hair out and thinking about wine! Anyway, I quickly pulled out this device to transfer all the data to another laptop - (I have too much info for Cloud Storage...maybe eventually I'll go down that road).In no time flat, all my data was protected. Today I transferred all my data back to a new laptop. Again, fast and painless!
    The best part is I've never had the pain-in-the-rear compatibility problem that can sometimes happen when you get a new laptop; The Tornado has worked on every version of windows that we've used without a hitch - currently 8.1 - Not only that, I was able to transfer even if one computer had one version of windows and the other was different. So hubby was right to get this device years ago! Shhh.
    Other Ways to Transfer Data
    Of course, there are many other ways to back up and transfer data: Windows Easy Transfer, Cloud Computing, Other Software Programs, Wireless Transfer between devices if you're set up for that, or Using an External Hard Drive. I've tried 'Windows Easy Transfer,' and it wasn't that easy! I prefer this device.
     



    Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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