Welcome to the 4th edition of the DIY Tech Tips, once again frequent viewers of this site will find plenty of such tech tips and stuff every now and then. If you missed the previous Tech Tips, you might want to dive in and search for them in the archives. Let’s get on with the Tech Tips.


Keep your maps updated

It helps to have the latest maps in your navigation device, this will save you time in the event there are any changes in the roads and new buildings. Companies like Eastgear and Navicom will post new updates on their sites for users to download. Garmin and Papago devices can download updated maps from malfreemaps.com.


Create Ribbon of commands

The new Office 2010 has new features that you can utilize; you can create a ribbon of frequently used commands. Click the ribbon at the left of the Home tab to get to the Backstage view. Select Options on the left and then the Options dialogue box will appear. Click on Customize Ribbon and click on NewTab. You can select from a list of popular commands and options and create your own ribbon of commands.


Merge multiple photos

It is difficult to get a perfect photo even for the pros. You can take multiple shots in quick succession. Most cameras now have the Burst mode. Use that to take multiple shots of the same view. Then download Photo Fuse. This program will allow you to select the best shots out of a range and combine them to create the perfect photo.


Protect yourself with free Anti-virus

No one can be free from being infected even if you use the computer purely for email and nothing more. If you could not bear to part with some money to buy the expensive Anti-virus suites, you can always use a free one. If you don’t trust names other then Microsoft, you can use their own version called “Microsoft Security Essentials”.


View Word layout before typing

Sometimes you want to know how your layout is going to look like before you even before you come up with the content. You do not need to manually pump nonsensical text into the spaces first as this is tedious work. Simply type “=rand(100,5)” without the quotes and before you know it, you will get 100 paragraphs of text, 5 sentences long. You can adjust the equation to what you need as you like.


Convert EPS to PDF in Mac

A graphics designer will need to work with EPS files very often. But if you send these EPS files to a normal user, they will not have the correct application to view that file. Therefore you can convert the file to a more common format for the normal user. To do so, simply drag the EPS file to the Apple’s Preview app in the dock. Apple will convert that file automatically into PDF file. You can just save it once more and it becomes a PDF.


Prevent Flash related crashes in Mac’s Safari

Apple’s CEO has already announced to the whole world that he sees Adobe’s Flash an unstable plug-in and unreliable. Apple has provided the solution to make Safari less prone to crashing in the event you need to access a site with Flash content. Install ClicktoFlash. This plug-in will block any Flash content. If you want to view the Flash content, you will need to click on it before it will play. You can also customize this plug-in to play all Flash content off some of your favorite sites that you visit all the time.


Back up your bookmarks in your navigation device

You can connect your PND to your PC via USB and browse the device using the Windows Explorer. For example, the Garmin device will save bookmarks with the gpx extension. You can copy those files out from the gpx folder and save them somewhere. The bookmarks can be loaded into a new PND of the same brand if you buy a newer model next time. In case you have purchased a different brand, these files may not work on the different brand, you can try a freeware called GPSBabel to try and convert the bookmarks to a different format.


Use images in Google Docs

Even though the Google Docs is an online Office productivity suite, it is not limited to just text alone. You can insert images in the Documents . Select Image from the Insert menu. You will be able to upload directly from your computer or even insert directly off from an URl.


Creating iTunes account without credit card number

Assuming you do not intent to make any purchase off the iTunes account but yet you wish to download the free apps. You do not need to submit any credit card number in case there is a chance you hit the wrong button and buy something off accidentally. Start iTunes and click on the iTunes Store link in the left windows pane. If you have already logged in, you must log out by clicking on your account name on the top right hand side and then the “Sign out” button.

Next, click on the App Store tab and then on the iPad icon. Navigate to the Free Apps pane on the right and click on any free app. You will be asked to sign in. Click on the Create New Account button and then fill up all necessary information such as date of birth and e-mail. Select none for credit card payment options and enter a billing address. Now you have a iTunes that is not tagged to any Credit Card.

Here are all the tech tips for part 4, remember keep reading and keep learning.  Check back for more of these DIY tech tips in future.