Ask the Techno
Q. We have recently had a new baby girl. Our parents live on the other side of the country and we want to e-mail regular photos. We have had lots of problems with e-mails not sending or not getting through. If they are received, our parents complain that they take forever to download. They only have dial-up. Why are we having so much trouble, and how can we improve things?
A. First, let me congratulate you on your beautiful daughter. I am sure you are taking lots of pictures and capturing priceless memories. Your problem is very common and is a by-product of the modern digital camera. Most new cameras are now capable of outstanding quality as a result of their large image sensors (8–10 megapixels are not unusual). The downside, from an e-mail perspective, is that each photo becomes a very large file—in this example, approximately 2MB. If you attach multiple photos to an e-mail, the size of each e-mail will be 2MB times the number of photos. Here is where you run into your first problem: most e-mail systems have a built-in e-mail size limit (aimed to prevent congestion), usually a maximum of 10MB, sometimes less. If you try to send an e-mail this big, it may be rejected by the network. If they do get through, receiving such a large e-mail on a dial-up line could take nearly thirty minutes. If you are sending multiples, I can see why your parents are frustrated.
Basically, you need to make smaller files for e-mail purposes—640×480 or smaller would be ideal. You want the file size less than 100K, which is one-twentieth of your large photo. There are a few simple solutions:
1. Many cameras have an option to create a smaller (e-mail size) photo along with the large one. Set this option and just e-mail the small version.
2. All image-editing software can create smaller files. Some have automated functions to do this. If not, look for features called resize and compress. Resize to 640×480 or smaller and set compression to medium or below. Check the file size this creates until you hit the value you want. Don’t forget to make a copy of the original, as you don’t want to lose the high-resolution file.
3. Another option would be to subscribe to a photo-sharing site such as flickr.com or something similar. This way, you can download all the photos you want to share and then everybody can view them online. If they want copies, you can e-mail individual files or they can order prints directly from the sharing site.
Q. I have three different e-mails. I access them all over the Web, and it becomes a pain logging on and checking each of them multiple times a day. Is there an easy way to consolidate and automate my e-mail access?
A. Most certainly. I have four accounts and access them all through the same interface. I use Microsoft Outlook. This is a purchasable product but also comes with some of the Microsoft Office bundles. It is also possible to configure with Microsoft Outlook Express. There are fewer options and not as much functionality, but OE is installed free with all Microsoft operating systems.
You will need to know some technical details about your various e-mail accounts and need to come to grips with some jargon such as POP3, IMAP, and SMTP. Your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or e-mail provider will usually have some help files online that will provide you with the necessary information. The Microsoft support site has detailed instructions for configuring both products. Check out these links:
• How to configure Internet e-mail accounts in Outlook: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/287532/en-us
• How to configure Outlook Express 6.0 for Internet mail: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb%3Ben-us%3B171163
If you have a different version of Outlook Express, search the support site for specific instructions. You will also find specific details for configuring popular online e-mail accounts such as AOL and Hotmail. With some reading and a little effort, you will be able to access all your e-mails from the same place.