At Home with Tech

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Category: Tech How To

December 17, 2017

How to View Your Photo Book on Your iPhone or iPad

You’ve just created a physical photo book using your favorite online book-making service. Bravo! Now, you’ve decided you also need to create a digital version that works on your iPhone or iPad. Here’s how you do that…

I know the idea of creating a digital version of a physical photo book is entirely counterintuitive… I’ve been talking for years about the need to create photo books to organize your pictures. I’ve been preaching that merely maintaining your photos in digital form isn’t the right move. I’ve been warning how hard drives and Cloud services will likely not protect your precious digital files in the decades to come.

Photo books will stand the test of time. Plus, they serve as an analog platform right now to enjoy all of your wonderful pictures that are locked away in digital form.

So why do I suddenly see a need to reverse engineer this solution and figure out how to generate a digital version of a photo book?

Slow as Molasses
Well, there’s one problem creating photo books… You have to wait for what seems like forever after you order them online, because they take a few days to print.
(It can take over two weeks to receive them without express shipping.)

If you’re trying to hit a deadline to create one of these books as a gift and didn’t plan early enough in advance, you may need a digital version to show off to the gift recipient as a ‘preview.’

And that’s not a terrible back up plan, because people are used to viewing pictures digitally anyway.
(Right?)

The Price for Immediate Gratification
Sure, you can pay a few bucks to have your book-making website do it for you.
(I use Blurb through Adobe Lightroom…and Blurb’s price to create a PDF version is $4.99.)

But when I ran across this exact situation recently, my finger immediately deselected the “Create a PDF” button. I figured that creating a sharable digital version of a photo book is something Mr. At Home with Tech should be able to do by himself for free.

I needed to preview my new photo book via an iPad. And then I wanted to email the gift recipient an online link to the photo book as well.
(Emailing the file itself wouldn’t be an option due to the large file size.)

So, here’s how you do it…

Save the Finished PDF Book Using Adobe Lightroom
As opposed to just using a website’s book-making tools, there’s one big benefit to creating your photo books using software that resides locally on your computer.
(Such as Adobe Lightroom or Apple’s Photos)

You’re creating the finished file first before uploading it to the book-making website. And the file you’re uploading is a PDF. You should also be able to save that exact PDF onto your computer’s hard drive for your own use.

Adobe Lightroom’s book-creation module offers you the option to export one large PDF or a whole bunch of JPEGs that represent each page.

In ‘Book Settings’ on the top right… you’ll see the choice of ‘Blurb,’ ‘JPEG’ or PDF.

  • Choose ‘PDF’
  • And then on the bottom right, click ‘Export Book to PDF’ and choose the destination

Now, it’s time to get that file onto the iPad…

Move the PDF Over Via the Cloud
There are a variety of Cloud-based methods to easily move the PDF over to an iPad.
(Like Apple’s iCloud Drive)
But I’m a big fan of Dropbox, and that’s the route I chose…

  • Export the PDF into the Dropbox folder on your Mac
  • Then, find and open the PDF using the Dropbox app on your iPad

Save to iBooks
Finally, you want to save the PDF locally for easy access. Sure, it’s always available via Dropbox, but the big PDF takes some time to load up. And the pages don’t show up cleanly on Dropbox. The iPad’s screen dimensions don’t match the book’s… so there’s some page overlap.

Instead, use Apple’s native iBooks app. It’s is a great solution!
When viewing your PDF via Dropbox on your iPad or iPhone…

  • Tap ‘Export’
  • Tap ‘Open In…’
  • Tap ‘Import with iBooks’

Now, each page shows up cleanly and independently as you swipe through!

Send a Link Via Dropbox
If you’ve used a Cloud-based sharing method to get your file onto your iPad, you should be able to also create a web link to that file, which you can then email to the gift recipient.

In the Dropbox app on your iPad…

  • Select ‘Share’
  • Tap on ‘Create a Link’
  • Tap on the ‘Mail’ icon
  • Type in the email address
  • And ‘Send!’

Best Gifts Ever
If you’re wondering after all of this whether you actually still need the physical photo book, don’t lose sight of your original mission!

The digital conversion is icing on the cake and satisfies an immediate need for instant access.

But when your gift recipient eventually opens up the actual book, you’ll remember that sometimes going ‘old school’ still has its advantages…

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November 26, 2017

Which Telescope Should You Buy a Second Grader?

If you’re in the market to get your child a first telescope, and you don’t really know what you’re doing, welcome to the party! The good news is I’ve collected enough intel to make a decision. At the very least, my journey of telescope exploration should help you narrow down your own choices…

It feels like at least twice a year, there’s a once in a lifetime comet, meteor shower or eclipse that beckons the use of a telescope. My family comes rushing in wanting to see it up close… and I don’t have my telescope ready to go.

Actually, I have a bigger problem…
I don’t own a telescope.

And I’ve been meaning to fix this little glitch…
Because the next time there’s an amazing object in the sky that won’t return for decades, I want to be ready!

I’ve tried twice over the past year to do my research under the pressure of an upcoming celestial event. Both times, I failed to come up with a decision by the deadline.

Now, it’s time to try again.
And I’ve adjusted the equation a bit.

I’ve decided to buy the telescope for someone else…
My seven-year-old son!
The holidays are coming up, and I think he would love getting one.

Hello, Meade Instruments!
In doing my research, I looked for suggestions focused on the eight to ten-year-old crowd.
(My second grader will be there soon enough.)

There are still a dizzying number of choices at different price points. You can pick up a starter telescope for kids for only fifty bucks. You can also find telescopes for older children or adult beginners at the $200 and $400 price points.
(And you can certainly spend a whole lot more…)

On my last attempt to get the ‘family telescope,’ I zeroed in on a manufacturer named Meade Instruments. This company kept getting mentioned by many of the reviewers out there.
(There are others well-regarded names like Celestron and Orion.)

But my deadline was too tight to get to the finish line.

Narrowing Down the Choices
Now, let’s pick up where I left off.
Meade Instruments… check!

I want a ‘refractor’ model, which is more durable and able to handle a little rough use.
(Just being practical…)
And this design is also usually good for terrestrial viewing.

I will try to cap my spend to the sub $100 market, which is a tough one, because I don’t want to end up with a toy. The telescope needs to sufficiently handle the moon and planets…and whatever else might be passing by.
(Deep galaxy exploration will not be among my son’s first missions.)

But as a parent, I don’t want to buy an overly complicated and delicate device either!
Otherwise, it will just become a one-time-use non-starter for him.

And if his first telescope does work out, I can always get him a more advanced model down the line…

Infinity 70mm Altazimuth Refractor
So, I reinitiated my research again and guess what?
One Meade telescope keeps showing up:

 

 

 

 

 

This Infinity 70mm consistently gets called out on starter telescope lists for kids.
All right then. I’m done, right?
Well…
(There is where I start going down the research rabbit hole.)

Another Option
There’s also the step-up Polaris line to consider:

Huh?
So, it’s only thirty-five bucks more to upgrade to the next level telescope?
What’s the difference besides being heavier?

  • Infinity has an Altazimuth mount.
  • Polaris has a German Equatorial mount.
    (Yeah, I didn’t know what that meant either.)

I’m still not 100% positive, but I know enough to say this:
The equatorial mount design is better to more easily track the planets that are always moving through a telescope’s field of view, but it’s harder to set up and use. If you know what you’re doing, it’s the only way to go,
…but I expect a lot harder for kids who’ve never done this before.
So, I’m sticking with the Altazimuth mount for my son.

Please cancel the Polaris option and forget I mentioned it.
Let’s move on.

So, now, we’re really done, right?
I’m getting the Infinity 70mm.
Uhhhh…

Portability and Ease of Break Down
One reviewer mentioned that it was difficult to break down the Infinity 70 to put away, because of the accessory tray. So, I downloaded the assembly instructions and took a look…

The accessory tray screws into the center of the tripod legs, indeed making it somewhat inconvenient when you want to quickly break it down.
(There’s unscrewing to do.)

However…
The 80mm and 90mm models use a different accessory tray attachment design that just requires rotation to lock it in and then out of the tripod legs.
So, that makes it much easier to disassemble.

Infinity 80mm Vs Infinity 90mm
Okay, let’s spend a little more time with these two options that while more convenient to take apart are also more expensive…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Both the Infinity 80mm and 90mm telescopes come with three eyepieces as opposed to the two that come with the Infinity 70mm.

Sure, the Infinity 80mm and 90mm models are more powerful than the Infinity 70, but that’s not so important to me as a first telescope.

Ease of use is what matters…

Who Am I Really Buying the Telescope For?
I think the Infinity 70mm would be totally fine as a first telescope for my son.
But it’s not as easy to break down, because of the way the eyepiece tray screws into the tripod legs.

If you don’t mind leaving the Infinity 70mm set up in a corner of a room, then I’d say you’re done.

But what if you’re like me and want to disassemble the telescope after every use and place in neatly away in a closet?

Then, the Infinity 80mm would do the trick. It’s smaller and a tad lighter than the Infinity 90mm, which I think would both be relevant factors for my son.

So, I should buy the Infinity 80mm.
Right?

How to Upsell Yourself
With the Infinity 80mm, I would shatter my $100 price barrier by over 30%.

Is it worth blowing the budget for more convenience and ease of use by little hands?
Well…probably.
(We’re only talking $35.)

And parents…let’s be honest.
Wouldn’t it also be nice to also get a little better telescope for the whole family?
And by the whole family… I mean me.
(Not that my wife wouldn’t enjoy a clearer shot of Jupiter.)

I’m not going to give my kid the Infinity 80mm and then say, “Go have fun with it!”
I’m the guy who’s going to be there with him helping to set it up and operate. It’s going to be a group activity for a while.

So, for a ‘family telescope,’ I’m prepared to say that the Meade Instruments Infinity 80mm definitely hits the sweet spot…for my son…and me.

Hey, if I were shopping only for myself, I’d be looking at the
Meade Instruments StarNavigator 102.
(Recommended by David Brody on space.com.)
$400 on Amazon
(Drool)

Get the Bag
You should also consider getting the carry bag for this telescope so you’ll have something to store it in when you put it away:

  • Meade Instruments Carry Bag for Infinity 80/90/102 Telescopes
  • $39.95 on Amazon

Astronomy 101 Begins Now
Even though I’ve never owned a telescope… nor have I really operated one all by myself,
I’m ready to learn, and I’ve done my research.

And I’ve made a decision!
(Phew)

I’m happy to report that after a year of trying, I’ve finally landed on the Meade Instruments Infinity 80mm Refractor Telescope as our ‘family telescope.’
(That said, I’m still open to other thoughts. Any other recommendations out there?)

Happy planet and stargazing, and don’t forget your Tang!

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November 5, 2017

Why Forwarding Photos May Not Be a Welcome Gift

You should think twice before sharing lots of digital photos with your peeps. Sure, it may be fun for the recipient to take a quick look. But guess what happens after that…?

All of this time, I thought I was doing my family and friends a favor by emailing downloadable Dropbox links of photos I’ve snapped at group settings. I’ve been doing this for years. What’s not to like?

I know that people generally love to participate in digital photo sharing.
It’s immediate.
It’s free.
It’s easy.

It’s also a quick and simple gift.

But you’ve got to admit, it’s something of a sloppy art.

Even so, I figure that folks can be responsible for what they do with the pictures they receive.
Right?

Well, yes.
And… no.

I think the problem is many people today just don’t have the time to do anything with your photos once they take a quick look at them.

That requires organization.
And good organization takes time.
Organization that even I have a hard time maintaining.
In fact, I’m still years in the rear at creating those ‘annual’ family photo albums to proudly live on our book shelves.

Some Assembly Required
I suppose emailing one or two photos shouldn’t really be a problem to handle. Even several… if they’re good pics.
But when you just throw twenty or thirty photos at someone, because you just don’t have time to do anything else, that just shifts the burden of organization onto the recipient.

You might think that you’re still doing them a favor, because once they go through everything, they’ll certainly separate the creative wheat from the chaff.

But you’re essentially sending someone more work to do.
That’s not such a great gift, is it?

Now, this is not a universal declaration. Take me for example…
If family and friends want to send me lots of unfiltered pics… I feel that’s better than not receiving anything at all.
(But I readily admit… I probably don’t represent the norm.)

The bottom line is you should always know your audience before you click on ‘send.’

The Analog Advantage
If you want to give the true gift of photo sharing that doesn’t require anything else to do, then you may have to suck it up and put in a little more effort…

And do you know what that looks like?
(I think you do.)

It’s a physical photo album or a photo book that’s completely done!
(How analog)

Will that take more time than you’re willing to commit?
Well, of course… there’s the rub.

Case in Point…
I’m always appreciative when someone hands me a little photo book celebrating an event or activity.
Sure, I might think… “Huh… I might have done that a little differently.”
But the reality is… I probably would never have gotten around to doing it at all!

And there’s your opportunity…

So recently, when a family friend scoffed at receiving a bunch of photos I emailed over, I didn’t take it personally.
Instead of a “Thank you,” I got a “When am I going to have the time to do anything with these?”
(And I had even gone through the batch to pick out the best ones!)

It was clearly time to create a tangible photo book…
Not to mention that I also received a direct request for one of these as a birthday gift.
(Isn’t clarity a wonderful thing?)

The Inner Truth
And for those of you digital geeks out there who don’t own a printer or know what a piece of paper is anymore (let alone a physical photo album)…
Guess what?
Deep down…
…You know you’re craving the same thing.

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone made you a physical photo album or book?

It’s okay.
Your secret is safe with me.

What’s Old is New Again
It’s not so old school.
People love photo books.

And there are lots of companies out there serving that need… like Shutterfly.
Since I’m doing my photo management in Adobe Lightroom, there’s an integrated process to work with Blurb.

It’s time to stop taking the easy way out by throwing your photos to the digital wind and hoping for the best.
Roll up your sleeves and create a physical photo collection that’s actually complete upon arrival.

Now, I’d better take a bit of my own advice and get to work on the birthday gift… The party is next week!

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