macros

I attended the Trendforum in Munich last week, a two-day conference that gathered European innovation, marketing, and R&D executives to explore emerging technologies, social trends, and innovative business models. The program was eclectic and the content mostly of high quality. I was particularly intrigued by the opening session that intersected macro-economic forecasting with geeky trend evangelism as well as a humanistic pledge for meaning-driven business (in fact, the other sessions didn’t even come close, including special guest Ray Kurzweil, whose remote keynote, given by way of 3D-holographic projection, remained utterly flat).

As the first speaker, Markku Wilenius, … Read more

Being able to set multiple home pages to load when you launch Firefox is one of the browser's best built-in features. But what if your daily browsing routine is a mite more complicated? Perhaps you have a series of complex log-ins or a page you need to navigate into deeper before you can get to the information you need.

Meet DejaClick, a free Firefox extension that records your movements and replays them at your whim. It essentially creates macros that you can name and launch after installing DejaClick. We're not usually fans of toolbars, and DejaClick does have … Read more

With Canon's announcement of the new Hybrid IS EF 100mm f2.8 L Macro IS USM lens, Canon has made two firsts: it's the first EF lens to offer Canon's new Hybrid IS technology, and also the first EOS macro lens to offer Image Stabilization. The new Hybrid IS system features up to four stops of correction of camera shake. Low friction ceramic balls support the lens elements to allow for smoother movements when correcting for camera during macro shooting, which requires very subtle corrections.

Besides being the first new Hybrid IS lens it is also the … Read more

Today, Sony announced two new lenses, the 30mm f2.8 DT Macro lens (SAL30M28) and the 28-75mm f2.8 SAM lens (SAL2875) along with three new dSLRs. Providing an inexpensive entry into macro photography is the new 30mm f2.8 DT Macro lens which will sell for about $200 when it becomes available in October 2009. The lens is a DT series for Sony's APS-C sensor size cameras such as the new Alpha a550 and Alpha a500 announced today, as well as the Alpha a380 and Alpha a330. It features a distance scale in both feet and meters. Reflecting … Read more

Macro (close-up) photography is a tricky skill to master. It is difficult to capture images in sharp focus with this type of photography. Helicon Focus can help photographers salvage partially focused macro photographs by combining them into one clear image.

Photographers will be able to use this program with just a cursory look at the Help file. There is a demo that you can watch that shows what the program can do. Amateurs and hobbyists will have to read the Help file more carefully, but it is well written and succinct. We first tried the Animation and 3D Model features. … Read more

Desktop Macros allows users to have the computer perform complex tasks with relative ease. You'll have to spend some time in the Help file to get started, but its results are worth the time and effort.

The program's interface is certainly not intuitive. However, after a look through the Help file, its purpose and navigation become pretty clear. With a little experimenting and reading, users will be utilizing the few controls necessary to run this program. The program's major function is recording keyboard and mouse movements so that repetitive tasks (such as navigating through complex file trees … Read more

Perfect Keyboard Lite allows users to easily record text and macros to be used later on, saving time for users who find themselves typing the same things over and over. Even novice macro users will be able to benefit from this intuitive program.

The program's interface is clean and easy to navigate; it should be easy for users who know anything about macros to get started. For those who don't, the built-in Help file provides plenty of guidance, including a section on macro language basics. Users who only need to use the program for text purposes--to insert blocks … Read more

Auto Mail Sender promises to help users send e-mails on a schedule and from virtual identities. With a mostly easy-to-understand setup, this program performs its complicated task so nearly anyone can use its power.

This program is set up to mimic the appearance and interface of less flashy e-mail programs like Microsoft Outlook, but with a few more rows to fill to help protect the sender's identity. Users familiar with sending e-mails should not have a difficult time navigating through this program, but can consult Auto Mail Sender's thorough Help file if an issue arises. Some of the … Read more

Allkeys Macro provides users with an opportunity to customize their computer functions and possibly eliminate the need for a mouse. While this sounds like a dream come true, the reality may be far too complicated for novice users.

A macro is a shortcut to help eliminate steps between tasks. For example, many people use the Control+C command to copy something. Allkeys Macro provides users with the ability to set up a macro for any command imaginable. The 30-day free trial allows users to choose their own keystrokes to perform the task and map out what will happen when those … Read more