We've scheduled our Fall 2011 Tech Nights at the Lewes Public Library! Three dates have been selected so far - if the demand's high, we'll be sure to add more!

Thursday, Sept. 22 - Google and Your Business

From Gmail to Google Apps to Google AdWords, the search engine giant offers individuals and businesses countless resources. Our Tech Night will walk you through some of the basic tools that Google provides - and explain how you can adapt them for your personal and business ventures.

Join Frank Payton for a discussion about what Google offers you - from its free programs to the cost-per-click world of AdWords.

Thursday, Oct. 27 - Social Media Marketing

With its ever changing presence, we could do a new social media seminar once a month! Our social media guru Shawn Skipper will discuss Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus - from the basics to some of the advanced tools you may not know about.

We'll also talk about how you could be using social media to help brand your business!

Thursday, Nov. 17 - Tech-Based Christmas Gift Spectacular

Each year we return to the Lewes Library to talk about the best Tech gadgets and computer-related gifts... and this year is no different!

Join the Fine Line staff for a breakdown of some of the best tools and toys that you'll be able to find during the 2011 Holiday Season!

For more information about any of our Tech Nights - or to request one - contact our office now!

Join us for the 'Save a Tree' Tech Night on Thursday, May 12!

Fine Line will be returning to the Lewes Library on Thursday, May 12 for yet another segment in the Tech Night series - Save a Tree!

Our staff will teach you about the programs and websites you can use to help clear up some of the clutter in your life. Want to move on from paper files and paper bills so you can get up to date with the digital era? We're here to help!

Join us at the Lewes Public Library on Thursday, May 12 at 6 p.m. for more!

Cropping website banner photos and more using Paint.Net

We pride ourselves on making the websites we build as easy to manage as possible - it's part of the Fine Line mission. We want you to be able to take your website and make the content changes you want, when you want to make them.

For the most part, things have been great. However, one issue we've been asked about quite a bit lately is "cropping" images to fit the established banner constraints we put on the sites we build.

We're going to handle this proactively - in this post you'll find an easy to use guide that will walk you through cropping images using Paint.Net - a FREE and very useful photo editing software that's available online. Get the guide.

Your Delaware Web Design Experts

Ready to start talking about a website of your own (or a new design for one you've already got)? Then Fine Line's the company for you!

Contact us today and we'll help set you on the path to online success.

Our April Site Launches:

• Delaware Realty
• Horney Industrial Electronics

Two more Fine Line sites in the Joomla! Community Showcase

We're happy to announce that both the Children's Beach House and Rehoboth Dream Homes projects have been added to the Joomla! Community Showcase!

The Children's Beach House project featured a combination of Joomla! and Magento using the MageBridge Connector, allowing it to have content rich pages and host products, registration forms and donation options.

The Rehoboth Dream Homes site is Joomla! driven and came with the RETS system, allowing for the most up to date real estate listings available.

More JCS appearances are on their way - stay tuned to our blog for updates!

Fine Line is returning to the Lewes Library for new Tech Nights!

We'll be kicking off our 2011 Tech Night calendar when we appear at the Lewes Library at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 31!

Our first Tech Night of the year will feature a breakdown of some of our favorite upcoming tech gadgets for 2011 - from the hottest new innovations to upgraded versions of existing products... we'll cover what you should be looking out for in 2011!

We've already booked our April and May appearances too! Mark Thursday, April 21 and Thursday, May 12 down on your calendars. For more information, or to submit a Tech Night idea, contact us today.

Fine Line is hiring! (Again!)

Priority position! Fine Line is now accepting applications from Programmers!

Do you know what makes a great website tick? Is code your second language? Then you may be the next member of the Fine Line team! Think you're ready? Apply right here.

Requirements include:

• Experience with PHP, MySql, Javascript
• Working knowledge of HTML and CSS
• Ability to work full-time, on location
• Experience with Joomla! or similar CMS

Our February Site Launches:

Fine Line launched three new projects in February... Check out the projects here!

• Bryce Lingo & Shaun Tull - Redesign
• Lewes Coast & Country - Kathy Engel
• Live in Rehoboth - Amy Schrader

At the Thursday, June 3rd tech night, we talked about localized backups onto USB devices but, unfortunately, ran out of time to discuss backing up online.

Online backups can be a very easy and automated task. Besides the safety of having a duplicate copy of your data, some are also available online via a web interface (ie: Dropbox). Cost will depend on your requirements, with some starting out as a free service that can be upgraded if you decide to increase the storage capacity beyond the "free" limitation.

First up is Carbonite. Carbonite is not free, but does offer a 15 day trial. Carbonite is geared toward data safety. A small program is installed, and Carbonite will watch for new or changed files to copy to the online server. This is done automatically and silently, never interrupting your work. They also use encryption to protect the files, for added security. Each file will have an overlay of a small green light as a part of the icon, to indicate the file has been copied to the online server. An amber light indicates the file is new and will be updated soon. In the event your computer is lost or broken, it is necessary to install Carbonite on a new computer and log into your account to begin the restoration process.

Second is Dropbox, which is designed as a file sharing tool but also works well as a backup. It is also free, for the first 2GB of storage. Dropbox installs a "folder" into your my documents folder. If you have multiple computers, such as a laptop and a desktop, Dropbox is installed onto each. That way, each computer has access to this one "magic folder." Through the Dropbox server, the folders are automatically synced. If you add a file to the Dropbox folder on your laptop, your desktop will have a mirror copy in its Dropbox folder. You can also access the folder online (for example, on a friend's computer that does not have the software installed) and download your files.

Fresh from our most recent Tech Night at the Lewes Library, here are some of Fine Line’s top techno-based Christmas picks for 2009!

The Verizon Droid

Designed by Motorola, the Verizon Droid combines the power of the Verizon Network with Google.

A smart phone that includes Wi-Fi networking, a 5-megapixel digital camera, a 3.7 inch 854x480touchscreen, MicroSDHC support with bundle 16GB card, turn-by-turn Google Maps Navigation, QUERTY keyboard, TI OMAP 3430 Processor.

Capable of running thousands of new Apps at high-speeds, is essentially Verizon’s answer to the iPhone (Verizon exclusive for now).

Released Nov. 6. $199.99 with variety of plan options.

The iPod Touch

The class of portable media devices, the iPod touch can play music and video files, surf the web and get rich HTML e-mail through its Wi-Fi connection.

Delivers an 8GB capacity and can maintain up to 1,750 songs, 10,000 photos, 10 hours of video. Delivers astounding 30 hours of music playback after full charge, 6 hours of video playback. Can download full selection of various Apps and Games from Apple. Comes with “Genius” software, which recommends apps, games, songs, videos and more based on your purchases. Also can create playlists based on your personal style.

Motorola MOTOROKR T505 Bluetooth Speakerphone

In-car speakerphone. Wirelessly connects Bluetooth enabled phone and car stereo for handsfree communication and broadcasting of music from your phone.

Clips to the visor and can be taken from car to car – NO INSTALLATION REQUIRED.

StationFinder finds and announces where to tune the FM radio for a clear FM connection to the car stereo. Audio Caller ID speaks the number of the person calling.

iLuv 1166 9” Portable Multimedia DVD Player

Small, portable DVD player. Build-in iPod dock – allowing you to play videos and music straight from your iPod on the larger screen. Great for trips and extended getaways if you don’t want to strain your eyes staring at the small iPod screen. Offers multi-format DVD/CD playback.

Panasonic DMP-B15 Portable Blu-Ray Player

The very first portable Blu-ray player on the market. Play back and view your favorite Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CDs, JPED photos, DivX files and more.

7.1 Channel lossless audio decode and bit-stream output for exceptional sound. Three hours of video on a single charge.

Kindle Wireless Reading Device

A lightweight (10.2 ounces, less than a paperback) wireless reader that’s just over 1/3 of an inch thick. Download entire volumes onto your reader in under 60 seconds and read them page by page at your leisure – the Kindle can hold up to 1,500 books in its memory!

3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle; no annual contracts, no monthly fees, no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. Reads like real paper – no glare, even in bright sunlight.

Read for days without recharging. Experimental Text-To-Speech feature – Kindle can read newspapers, magazines, blogs and books out loud to you.

Over 360,000 books, including 101 of 112 New York Times Best Sellers, plus US and international newspapers, magazines and blogs are currently available.

Sony PSP Go

Smaller and sleeker than older model PSPs, the PSP Go is designed to be a quieter, more mobile device than the PSP. Players acquire games through direct download only – no discs or cartridges – eliminating the excess baggage that game storage brings. Users download games directly from the Playstation Network.

Bluetooth support for skype headsets and other devices. 3.8” LCD screen functionality. Can also download music files, etc.

Samsung TL225P Dual View 12 Mega Pixe3l Digital Camera With 4.6x Optical Zoom

A camera that offers front and back LCD screens: turn every scene into a photo op starring you! The 1.5” front LCD screen lets you get out from behind the camera and get in the shot. You can perfectly frame yourself in the picture, quick and easy. Never miss another once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Rear LCD touch screen offers a simple navigation at the tip of your finger. LCD screen allows you to scroll quickly through all menus, and easily access your photo library.

14-setting Set Auto allows for professional looking pictures. Record HD Movies in the palm of your hand – compact HD video camera.

12.2 Megapixel Resolution and powerful 4.6x optical zoom, guaranteeing some of the sharpest pictures available. Image stabilization system allows clear shots without use of flash or tripod. New “Recycle Bin” features saves pictures for awhile even after they’re erased – meaning you can get those accidental deletions backs.

Playstation 3 120GB

HDMI + Bravia Sync functionality that provides both 1080p output resolution and instant in-synch connectivity between your PS3 and other Sony HDMI enabled products without the use of multiple remote controls.

A new 33% slimmer, 36% lighter PlayStation 3 entertainment system that is also more energy efficient. Includes a Dualshock 3 wireless controller and a built-in 120GB HDD for storing games, music, videos, and photos. Built-in Wi-Fi for connectivity anywhere and multiple media format compatibility, including Blu-ray for crystal clear video on High-Definition TVs, CD-ROM, DVD, and others.

Free membership and access to all the events, as well as game, movie, TV and other media content available on the PlayStation Network (PSN).

The last technology session on iPods was a hit and a majority of participants signed up for our "Open Source" and "Productivity in the Work Place" sessions in February. The session on "Protecting Kids Online" has been rescheduled. Check out www.leweslibrary.org for more details.

I still feel like I have to share something this week, so I wanted to let everyone know about an article I read in the latest issue of PCWorld. Apple makes it really easy to spend $15 for a movie that you want to watch on you iPod. However, with a little know how, you can start converting your existing DVDs to a format that can be synched with you iPod.

Start with an application called Handbrake, it can be found at http://handbrake.fr/. The best part is that it is free. We may have to include this in our "Open Source" session. For the most part, this may be all that you need unless the DVD that you own is encrypted. In that case, you may need to download an application that will allow Handbrake to work with those types of DVDs.

The article suggests either AnyDVD, DVD43 (DVD For Free, Did you get it?) or DVDDecrypter. A simple search on Google will provide you with any of those options to download. I personally have had experience with all three and consider them top of the line apps. If I had to choose between them, I would lean towards AnyDVD because of its ease of use.

I can't speak for Steve, but I am definitely looking forward to interacting with people that want to know more about what is out there and how it can be beneficial to our everyday lives.

The rest of our blog notes. Be sure to read part one for the whole scoop.

Making your blog an effective one

Blogs (weblogs) have become an increasingly common part of communication since bursting onto the scene in the late 1990s. Today hundreds of millions of blogs can be found on the internet – some published by private organizations, some by major corporations, and some by guys living in the basement. Anyone and everyone can have a blog and say essentially anything they’d like – but whether or not people read it is the important thing.

Here are a few general guidelines that will help increase the quality – and hopefully the readership – of your blog.

Have an angle

You can legitimately write a blog about whatever you’d like. The local news, the Philadelphia Phillies, your favorite shoes – everything goes. But what you need to make sure you do is pick your angle and stick with it.

Helter-skelter blogs that have no real direction will have no readers. You need to establish some kind of consistency within your blog so you can attract a consistent readership. If you publish a political post on Friday and one on bird-watching on Monday, your readers aren’t going to consider you worth their time. If they’re reading blogs, they’re only going to read the ones that appeal to their interests 24/7. So find the folks you want to appeal to, and work at them exclusively. Variety counts for nothing when you’re battling for readership.

Be an authority

Many people use blogs to express their varied opinions over the Internet. We all have opinions, and we like to have them heard, so it’s not a bad idea up front.

The problem is that, outside of maybe your close friends and family, people probably don’t care about your outright opinion unless you’ve already got enough fame to garner that kind of respect. Are you a respected political journalist that’s covered countless stories on Capitol Hill? Then don’t expect the masses to read what you think about Barack Obama. Have you been working the Eagles’ football beat for a few seasons? If not, don’t be disappointed when no one wants to read your piece on Brian Westbrook.

If someone’s going to take the time to read your blog, they want to know that what they’re reading is being written by someone who knows their stuff. If you can’t provide some sort of unique information or take, readers will find one of the other 10 million blogs on the subject.

So, you’ve got to be a true authority on what you’re blogging about. If you’re running a business, that part is a bit easier – blog about what your company is involved in. You have the credentials to do so, presumably, or your business wouldn’t be very successful.

If it’s not that black and white for you, consider some of the other things you’re interested in/good at. Do you want to talk about the local news? You can do it if you play your cards right. You don’t need a journalism degree to be a citizen journalist – you just need the drive. If you want to cover news stories, start hunting them down and breaking them yourself – blogs are used as outright news sources just as much as newspapers are nowadays. When you start reporting enough solid, hard news that shows your skills (and not just pirating the stories off of legitimate news sites) then people will begin to notice you. You can become an authority.

Are you a bird-watcher? Post bird-watching reports and tips. A botanist? Talk about plants. You’ve got to play to your strengths, and of course, relate your topic to your audience. Appeal to local readers first, and worry about mass exposure when your blog has garnered some success.

The more you know, the more it’ll show on your blog’s stats.

Give your blog a personality

After you’ve found your topic and know that you’re an authority, remember that your blog should identify with you.

Your posts should have life, and should reflect your own personality – they shouldn’t read like bland news reports or studies out of a book. Be funny, creative, angry, and opinionated. You’re going to have a lot of competition, regardless of what you talk about – be it from blogs or just general Internet resources. So make your blog as entertaining as it is informative. Don’t come off like the Encyclopedia – if people wanted that, they’d read… well, the Encyclopedia.

Post often

Infrequent posting will kill even the most informative and entertaining blogs. If your readers can’t count on you to keep new information rolling out, they won’t bother to include you in their rounds. What’s the point of following a blog if it’s updated once every two weeks? In that two week span your readers could have gone through dozens of similar blogs and learned far more than you’re going to be able to tell them in one post. Unless you’re absolutely the only resource available for a certain topic (and we haven’t found anyone like that yet) then you need to make sure you’re posting as often as possible. Depending on your topic, we’d recommend at least 3 times a week to start, potentially every other day (and if you’re on a red-hot subject, every single day).

Don’t write a book

Just because you’re posting often doesn’t mean you have to post novels each day. A blog can be short and sweet, delivering just enough to keep its concept on the minds of readers. If there’s nothing major to report on a particular day, throw together something small and interesting and be done with it. Tease a later post that you’re working on, or something to that effect.

If you carry on too much with your blog, your readers will get tired of hearing from you and move on – potentially missing the major points you had buried beneath unnecessary filler.

Interact with your readers

Always work with your readers. Speak directly to them, and appeal to the comments they leave on your site (yes, allow comments) or in your e-mail. They’re your core audience – without them, your blog is nothing. Give the people what they want, and listen to what they have to say. You’re the authority, but it’s their opinion that matters the most. After all, they’re taking the time to read your blog.

Use social media if you can

In the wake of blogs we’ve seen websites like Facebook and Twitter develop strong followings. Use them as tools to help promote your blog! Set up a Twitter account for your blog and try to get some of your readers to being “following” you – it’ll allow you to send them occasional updates about the blog, or links to your latest post without needing access to their e-mail. It’s a great way to reach out to your readers and update them on what you’re up to – without the need for spam messages or even e-mail access. You can “tweet” right from your phone!