Adobe InDesign CS3 Tutorial Training on 2 DVDs, 16 Hours in 189 Video Lessons, new computer software instruction Review

Read More...

Serif PhotoPlus X3 Review

Serif PhotoPlus X3
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This is a fully-functional, highly professional Photo Editor. I have attached a short video with some of the photos I have edited during my learning process.
For those who have never used a photo-editing software before, all of the choices can actually be quite intimidating. Since I had been away from working with Photo-editing for awhile, I chose to go through the tutorials, which were very helpful in getting me back up to speed. Even so, I found myself picking up the manual to look up things.
Since I will be using the software mostly for photos, I focused on that aspect, however it includes animations, panoramas, and a very nice photo file called "Serif Album Plus."
There is one thing you should know (which marked down the software a bit in stars) - getting your software installed and registered is a two-step process. After you install, you have to either go out to the web site or call an 800 number in order to finish. At that time you will be given a registration code.
The registration process says to call the 800 number, but I was aware that Serif could be registered online.
I chose to register online, and it worked, but was a bit clunky (I had to write down information to type into the registration - then do the reverse to get the number into the program). It might have gone better on the 800 number.
There was a document in the box offering a MontagePlus for free if you registered. When I did not see it in the online registration process, I contacted Customer support via the WebSite. They were prompt and courteous in their response and stated they were mailing me the software ... however it never arrived. I believe that you had to register using the 800 number in order to qualify.
During the installation process, I was asked which types of photos I wanted to open in PhotoPlusX3. I chose some that I was unable to open in other editors (including Kodak Raw Images). When I export a file as a jpg - it automatically reopens in the software I have designated for jpgs. Saving a file in PhotoPlusX3 automatically saves it as a SPP file. In order to save a new file into a jpg, you need to export, rather than save the file.
I also encountered a problem when the program stopped working while I was creating a new file. Windows notified me that there was a patch available (which I installed), but I was disappointed I wasn't notified of the patch automatically when I installed the product. (I am used to software checking for updates as a part of the installation process) The patch worked, and I was able to create the file I needed to create.
I rated the software 4 stars for the reasons that follow:
3 stars for the extra steps required for installation/registration
3 stars because I wasn't notified of the patch
3 stars because this isn't as intuitive as some of the competitors
5 stars for the tutorials - really well done and comprehensive
5 stars for the number of features
5 stars for customer service - even on a weekend!!!
If you are a beginner who just wants a few touch-ups on your pictures, you might want to go with some simpler software. However, this is really a very nice product, and can do a great deal. I do recommend it for those who are experienced or those who wish to do more with their photo projects than just simple adjustments.
EDIT ON REVIEW:
*** Since I registered with Serif, I have received a significant number of e-mails concerning offerings on other software. It appears that Serif is more interested in generating sales than in being perceived as customer oriented. The software is great, but I continue to find the aspects of dealing with the company difficult.
Since the price of many of its competitors is similar, you may wish to consider whether to go that route. I stand behind the 4 stars because of the features inside of the program, BUT wanted to alert future users as to the continued issues related to the company itself.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Serif PhotoPlus X3



Buy Now

Click here for more information about Serif PhotoPlus X3

Read More...

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection Upsell from Any Suite Review

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection Upsell from Any Suite
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
It's not inexpensive, but you certainly get a lot for the money. Installation was pretty much flawless, though there are extensive online updates. Tech support is also very competent and quick.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection Upsell from Any Suite

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection software delivers a comprehensive creative toolset for designing across media. Explore lifelike natural painting, drawing in perspective, powerful 3D, and interactive experience design. Breakthrough performance gains accelerate image processing, rotoscoping, compositing, video editing, and more. And now integration with new Adobe CS Live online services further enhances your productivity. From start to finish, tell your story with Master Collection.

Upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection Customers who have a license for the following applications are eligible for upgrade pricing:
Creative Suite 4 Design Premium, Design Standard, Web Premium, Web Standard, & Production Premium
Creative Suite 3 Design Premium, Design Standard, Web Premium, Web Standard, & Production Premium
Creative Suite 2.x Premium & Standard
Macromedia Studio 8
Adobe Production Studio Premium and Standard

Top reasons to upgrade to Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection
Interactive design without writing code Design sophisticated interactive content and create functional interfaces in new Adobe Flash Catalyst CS5 without writing code. Transform your unique vision into compelling online experiences using Flash Catalyst, and deliver virtually perfect project files to developers who use Adobe Flash Builder to add functionality and integration with servers and services.
Extraordinary image creation and editing Use the Mixer Brush and Bristle Tips in Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended to explore lifelike, naturally textured painting. Add dimension to your imagery with 3D extrusions using Adobe Repoussé technology, and make precise image selections more quickly and easily with new Truer Edge selection technology.
Innovative vector drawing and painting Quickly and accurately represent depth and distance using new perspective tools in Adobe Illustrator CS5. You can now precisely control stroke width, arrowheads, and dashes. And use the new Bristle Brush to draw with the expressive quality of watercolors, oils, and pastels, but with the scalability and editability of vectors.
Industry-leading performance enhancements Work faster thanks to multiple performance gains. New GPU acceleration in Photoshop CS5 Extended enables quick image cropping, color picking, and brushwork. Work faster in high resolution due to native 64-bit support in Photoshop, Adobe After Effects CS5, and Adobe Premiere Pro CS5. The new Adobe Mercury Playback Engine speeds up effects processing and rendering in Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe Dynamic Link is now dramatically faster.
Integration with new Adobe CS Live online services Accelerate time-consuming activities and collaborate widely thanks to integration with new Adobe CS Live online services that include Adobe CS Review for design feedback, Adobe BrowserLab to accurately test websites, Adobe Story for script development, and Acrobat. com to enhance communication around the globe. CS Live online services are complimentary for a limited time--visit www.adobe.com/go/cslive for details.
Expressive motion graphics and blockbuster visual effects Isolate moving foreground elements quickly in After Effects CS5 using the revolutionary new Adobe Roto Brush tool. Speed up compositing with variablewidth mask feathering and new trackable masks. And start animating instantly using the new Auto-Animate button that automatically sets your starting keyframe to the current time.
Interactive documents and presentations Create memorable documents and presentations complete with interactivity, motion, sound, and video in Adobe InDesign CS5. Enhance page layouts with rich media using new motion presets for easy animation creation. Take advantage of support for FLV and MP3 audio file import to engage and excite your audiences.
Support for evolving web trends Design and develop complex websites with exciting new enhancements to Adobe Dreamweaver CS5. Create dynamic websites more easily using Dreamweaver with full support for the leading content management frameworks, including Joomla!, Drupal, and WordPress.
Immersive interactive design and delivery Fluidly animate complex jointed objects and create print-quality interactive typography in Adobe Flash Professional CS5. Add personality to your inverse kinematic motion with Spring, a new Bones tool attribute. New text capabilities include advanced styling controls. And new XML support provides tighter integration with other Adobe products.
Subtle changes, big differences Do more in less time with a wealth of productivity enhancements that streamline everyday tasks. Your favorite tools keep getting better with features such as Truer Edge selection technology in Photoshop CS5, the Shape Builder tool in Illustrator CS5, and variably sized master pages in InDesign CS5.
Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended--Create powerful images with the professional standard Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended software helps you create the ultimate images for print, the web, and video. Enjoy all the state-of-the-art editing, compositing, and painting capabilities in industry-standard Photoshop CS5, and experience fast performance thanks to cross-platform 64-bit support. Also create 3D extrusions for logos, artwork, and motion graphics; edit 3D objects with advanced tools; and create and enhance motion-based content.

Innovate in 3D Go beyond traditional image editing by bringing 3D elements to your 2D artwork directly within your favorite digital imaging application, which now offers an easy on-ramp to 3D image creation.
Maximize creative impact Explore new creative possibilities with breakthrough tools that enable you to select, adjust, paint, and recompose images with tremendous precision and freedom.
Boost productivity Accelerate your workflow with fast performance on 64-bit hardware systems, smoother interactions thanks to GPU acceleration, and dozens of time-savers throughout the application.
Adobe Illustrator CS5--Explore new paths with the essential vector tool Create distinctive designs for any project. Used by creative professionals worldwide, Adobe Illustrator CS5 software provides precision and power. Paint expressively with vectors, draw in perspective, and explore designing for interactivity. Move easily between Illustrator, other Adobe products, and Adobe CS Live online services. Get the job done efficiently but beautifully, moving quickly from multiple ideas to multiple outputs with complete control and delivering exactly what you had in mind.

Design with powerful creative tools Take advantage of exceptional precision and power to create distinctive vector artwork. Combine highly controllable drawing tools with expressive natural brushes and dramatic effects to make unique, striking designs.
Work smoothly and efficiently Speed up your workflow with innovations that encourage efficiency. Get the job done with purpose and agility using shortcuts and time-savers to take multiple ideas to multiple outputs.
Deliver virtually anywhere Incorporate vector artwork into essentially any project and deliver resolution-independent graphics across media. Enjoy tighter-than-ever integration with other Adobe products and go anywhere your creativity takes you.
Adobe InDesign CS5--Design professional layouts for print and digital publishing Adobe InDesign CS5 software provides precise control over typography and built-in creative tools for designing, preflighting, and publishing documents for print, online, or to mobile devices. Bring documents and presentations to life with interactivity, animation, sound, and video. Leading industry tools, and productivity enhancements make page layout simpler and faster. Access Adobe CS Live online services from within InDesign to streamline critical review processes.

Streamline review processes Build powerful documents as a team. New integrated tools and the availability of efficient online services make review processes more efficient, whether your clients and colleagues are across the hall or around the world.
Do more in less time Create, edit, and publish documents faster. A wealth of new productivity features help make page layout simpler, easier, and speedier.
Create powerful, innovative digital documents Engage, inform, and attract readers with documents that include interactivity, animation, video, and sound. Develop stronger, more compelling communications with rich interactive documents.
Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro--Protect documents and accelerate information exchange with PDF Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro software builds on the foundational feature set of Acrobat 9 Standard to provide business and creative professionals with additional capabilities, including enhanced security features, high-end print production support, and easy-to-manage electronic document reviews.
Deliver polished, professional documents Quickly integrate content, insert company logos, define navigation, and add polish to your PDF Portfolio using one of many customizable templates.
Create dynamic electronic forms Use included Adobe LiveCycle Designer software--a professional form design tool--to create, customize, and automate dynamic forms.
Collaborate and share with virtually anyone, anywhere Gain the input you need--in real time--through interactive, shared document reviews that help participants see and build on each other's comments.
Adobe Flash Catalyst CS5--Create expressive interfaces and interactive content without writing code Adobe Flash Catalyst CS5 software is an approachable new interaction design tool. Use it to transform Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Fireworks artwork into expressive interfaces and fully interactive content without writing code, and publish as SWF or Adobe AIR files. Collaborate with developers who can open your project files with Adobe Flash Builder software to extend functionality, and leverage the reach and consistency of the Adobe Flash Platform.

Leverage the power of the Adobe Flash Platform to create interactive projects Rapidly create expressive interfaces and interactive content to your exacting design standards. Deliver your creative vision with the reach and consistency of the Adobe Flash Platform.
Approach interaction design without writing code Transform static designs from Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or Fireworks software into fully interactive projects without requiring development or coding skills. Define behaviors and control sophisticated interactions with simple yet powerful menu-based commands.
Adobe Flash Professional CS5--Create and deliver rich interactive content Adobe Flash Professional CS5 software is the industry-leading environment for interactive authoring and delivery of immersive experiences that are presented consistently across personal computers, mobile devices, and screens of virtually any size and resolution. Design expressive content with professional typography and pixel-precise drawing tools, write code precisely and efficiently with code completion and customizable code snippets, and deliver superior-quality video to audiences practically everywhere.

Design with expression Communicate your creative vision without sacrifice and set the bar for interactive design with typographic precision, layout fidelity, and expressive motion-editing capabilities.
Write code quickly and easily Quickly and efficiently write code with powerful authoring tools and integration with Adobe Flash Builder software. Easily add interactivity directly in the ActionScript language by injecting extensible code snippets.
Deliver in fewer steps and in more places Save time and reduce the number of required steps when moving content from design, to development, and ultimately to delivery. Distribute consistently across personal computers, mobile devices, and screens of virtually any size and resolution.
Adobe Flash Builder 4--Develop cross-platform rich Internet applications Adobe Flash Builder 4 (formerly Adobe Flex Builder) software is a professional-grade development tool designed to help developers rapidly build cross-platform rich Internet applications (RIAs) and content using the open source Flex framework.
Improve productivity Accelerate development and testing of expressive web applications using powerful developer tooling.
Integrate with existing infrastructure Integrate with servers and services in existing infrastructure, including those based on Java, PHP, Adobe ColdFusion software, REST, and SOAP.
Deliver more expressive applications Create intuitive, engaging applications that deliver more compelling experiences.

Adobe Dreamweaver CS5--Design, develop, and maintain standards-based websites and applications Adobe Dreamweaver CS5 software empowers designers and developers to build standards-based websites with confidence. Work visually or directly in code, develop with your existing content management system like WordPress, Joomla!, or Drupal, and design productively with CSS inspection tools. Simplify advanced website development with integrated support for Subversion software and custom PHP code hinting. Get fast and accurate browser-compatibility testing and test dynamic content thanks to integration with Adobe BrowserLab, a new Adobe CS Live online service.

Develop with content management systems Build dynamic standards-based websites and applications quickly and easily. Leverage powerful content management systems with integrated authoring and testing support for your existing frameworks like WordPress, Joomla!, and Drupal.
Design websites more productively Inspect, track, and preview web designs with powerful CSS diagnostics and functions. Improve your layouts and designs, and reduce the need for manual tweaking in the CSS code.
Extend Dreamweaver through integration with CS Live online services Some of the new CS Live online services integrate with Dreamweaver, such as fast and accurate browser-compatibility testing with Adobe BrowserLab. CS Live online services are complimentary for a limited time--visit www.adobe.com/go/cslive for details.
Adobe Fireworks CS5--Rapidly prototype and design for the web Create expressive screen graphics for virtually any device rapidly with Adobe Fireworks CS5 software. Design websites, user interfaces, or rich media applications using both vector and bitmap tools. Import assets from Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator software and export to HTML and CSS, Adobe Flash Catalyst software, or the Adobe AIR runtime. Optimize final imagery with the industry's leading screen graphics software.

Combine the power of vector and bitmap tools Design with vector and bitmap tools together to achieve optimal imagery quickly. Enjoy pixel precision that maps to your resolution requirements, using graphics tools designed for screen-based output.
Produce better screen graphics, faster Create rich, interactive screen graphics with fewer steps. Create and name slices efficiently, and then deliver superior-quality graphics optimized for the web and a wide range of devices.
Design once for multiple deliverables Quickly optimize designs for websites, rich media applications, and mobile devices. Edit assets from other graphics programs for wider deployment with Fireworks. Integrate client review into the design process.
Adobe Contribute CS5--Simplify website management Adobe Contribute CS5 software enables users to quickly create and edit web pages collaboratively in an easy-to-use WYSIWYG HTML editor, without writing code. New features include in-browser editing of text, hotspot images, and CSS for content authors, as well as drag-and-drop input of FLV, SWF, and PDF files. Managers can encourage creative web development while easily controlling workflow, review, and version processes to produce static or dynamic websites with one-click publishing.
Update sites efficiently Make website updates easy. Familiar WYSIWYG tools help content authors create and edit web media--no HTML required. Maintain control of site integrity and expedite review and approval cycles.
Increase contributor productivity Let content authors collaborate fully using simple in-browser creation and editing of text, images, rich media, and advanced interactive layout elements--without writing code. Contribute maintains design integrity for you.
Accelerate publishing cycles Quickly add pages and migrate existing content without repeating design tasks. Keep previous versions ready for redeployment. Manage reviews and approvals efficiently, and then publish with a single click.
Adobe Premiere Pro CS5--Accelerate production with the new Adobe Mercury Playback Engine Craft your story efficiently with Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 software, the high-performance video production solution that enables you to work dramatically faster thanks to the native 64-bit, GPU-accelerated Adobe Mercury Playback Engine. Edit natively with the video formats you want. Save time by batch encoding source content to a wide variety of video formats for web, disc, broadcast, film, device, and mobile delivery. Easily exchange projects with Final Cut Pro and Avid software, and enjoy efficient, collaborative workflows that accelerate production from scriptwriting to editing, encoding, and final delivery.

Improve your production workflow Focus on telling your story with powerful, flexible editing tools. With the native 64-bit Adobe Mercury Playback Engine, the industry's best native tapeless workflow, and unparalleled Adobe integration, Adobe Premiere Pro CS5 sets a new standard in editing efficiency.
Collaborate openly and effectively Work in an open, extensible post-production environment. Write scripts collaboratively. Efficiently gather feedback from clients and teammates. Easily exchange projects with other Adobe software, Final Cut Pro, and Avid software.
Deliver engaging video practically anywhere Create video optimized for online viewing as well as for broadcast, disc, film, device, and mobile distribution. From capture to final delivery, use metadata to make assets easier to find in production, create engaging interactive experiences, and help audiences discover your videos online.
Adobe After Effects CS5--Create motion graphics and visual effects with the industry standard Adobe After Effects CS5 delivers the visual richness required to get noticed in today's media culture. Use open-ended creative tools. Work efficiently on high-resolution projects thanks to native 64-bit support. And benefit from tight integration with Adobe's other leading software. Whether you're working in film, broadcast, online, or mobile media, Adobe After Effects enables you to create groundbreaking motion graphics and blockbuster visual effects.

Get 64-bit performance Work more quickly with groundbreaking 64-bit performance that dramatically improves the experience of creating HD and higher resolution content. Streamlined tools and tight Adobe integration also accelerate your workflow.
Innovate visually Express your visual ideas with freedom. Adobe After Effects CS5 revolutionizes motion design with an open-ended environment that fosters creative experimentation.
Composite efficiently Realize your vision quickly and efficiently by drawing on a broad and deep set of tools designed to help you solve any creative challenge.
Deliver everywhere Master modern media: Deliver your completed projects to the widest range of formats, from large format feature films and high-definition television to websites and mobile devices.
Adobe Soundbooth CS5--Create and edit audio with ease Adobe Soundbooth CS5 software is a professional audio editor that makes it easy to create, edit, and clean up audio for all your productions. Intuitive, task-based features and tight integration with other Adobe applications save time and help you achieve professional results. Mix royalty-free, customizable soundtracks and sound effects with dialogue in the improved multitrack environment for complete creative control.

Simplify audio workflows Make short work of everyday audio with a smooth, intuitive workflow that features task-based tools and tight integration with other Adobe Creative Suite Production Premium components.
Fix audio problems fast Automatically detect and fix common flaws in audio such as hisses, hums, phase problems, crackling, and pops. Add reverb to match on-location room ambience. Match the volume of different dialogue clips.
Create soundtracks easily Drag and drop Soundbooth Scores to create soundtracks. Make the music fit your visuals with easy adjustments to timing, and suit your project's mood with easy adjustments to intensity, atmosphere, and instrumentation.
Get professional-sounding mixes Combine music, dialogue, and sound effects on multiple tracks. Easily control EQ, volume, pan, and effects on each track using automation. Add mastering effects for final polish.
Locate dialogue quickly Convert spoken dialogue into searchable text, and use custom dictionaries to increase the accuracy of asset search. Export transcripts to create searchable video.
Searchable web DVDs and other enhancements in Adobe Encore CS5 Adobe Encore CS5 software is a versatile, interactive authoring tool for video distribution that allows you to deliver your projects beyond DVD and Blu-ray Disc. In a single operation, you can easily turn your DVD and Blu-ray Disc projects into web DVDs that now include a search interface. The new interface gives viewers a more engaging experience by enabling them to search within a web DVD using keywords. During authoring, Encore automatically creates a search database using metadata from speech-analysis text, subtitles in timelines and slideshows, and menu and button names.
Efficient production and tapeless camera support in Adobe OnLocation CS5 Adobe OnLocation CS5 provides an impressive array of production tools to help you shoot better and faster while saving time and money, both on set and off. New support for tapeless cameras extend the ways you can use OnLocation in your production workflows.
Spot problems in imported tapeless footage. Thanks to new tapeless camera support, you can use the comprehensive software waveform monitor and vectorscope as well as the audio spectrum analyzer in OnLocation to identify image and audio problems in imported files by quickly scanning your footage for audio pops, clipping, and video overbrights.
Logging with tapeless cameras. Get all the benefits of real-time, on-set logging when working with tapeless cameras. Simply tell OnLocation which shot is currently recording and then enter notes, comments, and additional metadata into placeholder clips. Using timecode as a reference, OnLocation automatically matches the information to the recorded clips when they are imported from the tapeless media, regardless of whether the camera is tethered to OnLocation on-set or whether the clips are imported during post-production.
Faster logging with Turbo Comments. While recording, the new Turbo Comments feature lets you add frequently used words--cast names, sports highlights, and so on--with a single keystroke to log live action accurately, consistently, and efficiently. OnLocation lets you store up to nine comments with unique shortcuts, for immediate, timecode-accurate logging.
Adobe Creative Suite 5 With powerful new creative tools, enhanced performance and workflows, and the ability to integrate with timesaving new Adobe CS Live online services, Adobe Creative Suite 5 software provides the edge you need to create rich content for virtually any media--print, web, interactive, video, audio, and mobile. Whether you need to produce printed pages efficiently or design and distribute engaging content online, on film, on air, and on device, you'll find the right combination of Adobe tools to increase your productivity and keep pace with your creative vision.


Buy Now

Click here for more information about Adobe Creative Suite 5 Master Collection Upsell from Any Suite

Read More...

PrintMaster Greeting Cards Deluxe Version 2 Review

PrintMaster Greeting Cards Deluxe Version 2
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This greeting card set is wonderful and lots of fun to play with. Makes beautiful cards and lots more. One set back is you need to upgrade the software to use it for e-mails and to share.

Click Here to see more reviews about: PrintMaster Greeting Cards Deluxe Version 2

Create the perfect card for every occasion!Product InformationMake someone's day with a one-of-a-kind greeting that could only come from you! Packed with fabulous art collections powerful design tools and more than 13350 exciting project templates this easy-to-use program delivers all the quality and versatility you expect from PrintMaster. It's the perfect resource for all things creative! From greeting cards to note cards to stickers and beyond PrintMaster Greeting Cards Deluxe delivers a world of creative possibilities right to your desktop. You'll get started in minutes with ready-made templates then enjoy endless creative exploration with a huge array of artwork and images. Easy-to-use galleries and search tools make creating a masterpiece quick easy and satisfying.It's fun and easy to create unique greeting cards that friends and family willtreasure. It is as easy as 1-2-3 -- just pick from a variety of beautifulgreeting cards and projects for any occasion personalize with photosbackgrounds and fonts and print or e-mail to share with friends andfamily. When you unlock the power of PrintMaster the possibilities areendless!Unlimited Greeting Card Possibilities!Includes125000+ Unique Graphics *13350+ Greeting Cards and Projects *2600+ Fonts *Easy Photo EditingE-mail animated Greeting CardsProduct HighlightsGreat GraphicsFind the perfect image with over 125000* beautiful graphics or draw-free handto add your own personal touch. The Color Set Creator recommends colors togive professional looking results or you may choose to select your own.Fabulous FontsChoose from over 2600* fabulous fonts to express your sentiment. Applytextures drop shadows curves and more.Personalized PhotosImport edit and enhance photos with the easy-to-use Photo Workshop. Takeadvantage of powerful tools like Quick Fix and Reprint plus dramatic effectslike Warp and Distort.PrintPri

Buy Now

Click here for more information about PrintMaster Greeting Cards Deluxe Version 2

Read More...

QuickBooks Basic Payroll Up To 3 Employees 2009 Review

QuickBooks Basic Payroll Up To 3 Employees 2009
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have used QB Standard payroll for years most recently purchasing Standard 2008 for unlimited employees a year ago for $99 discounted at retail. It calculated and printed most federal forms (941 included) and automatically filled preprinted W-2 and other annual reports and forms. Standard has been discontinued and Basic does NOT print or fill out these forms for you.
Be aware you will need to obtain forms and do this all manually -- unless you spend a lot more money on the Enhanced version. A forced feeding by Intuit which in any economy breeds resentment.
I use Payroll with QB Pro / TurboTax for Business / QB Point-of-Sale Pro / TurboTax Deluxe and Quicken -- and I am a stockholder. I have read the many complaints on Amazon for years not all of which are justified by any means. But this plus an Internet security vulnerabilty in POS Pro discovered in a credit card industry required security scan last fall (not from an alert by Intuit although they knew it was there) which still has not been properly addressed by Intuit is very damaging to my trust in Intuit.
So if you are using QB to pay employees and also use a POS version with a server and at least one client (network) computer be advised that there is a vulnerability that could make it easier for an attacker to obtain a lot more than credit card information -- employee SSN other personal ID data.
I am still trying to work with Intuit to find a solution -- not just for myself but also for all other customers (few of whom know the risk that exists). I will update this further over time.

Click Here to see more reviews about: QuickBooks Basic Payroll Up To 3 Employees 2009

Easily pay employees yourself within QuickBooks and work with your accountant on taxes. (Requires QuickBooks 2006 or newer.)

Easily pay employees yourself within QuickBooks and work with your accountant on tax filings. Basic Payroll helps you:
1) Easily Pay Employees Simply enter employees' hours in QuickBooks and with just a few clicks, Basic Payroll automatically calculates earnings, payroll taxes and deductions for you.
Easily print paychecks yourself, or use convenient Direct Deposit (additional fees apply).
2) Instantly calculate payroll taxes Basic Payroll instantly calculates federal and state payroll taxes for you. Simply write checks to make the tax payments yourself.
Intuit Payroll's team of compliance professionals works with tax authorities to help keep your payroll tax rates accurate and up-to-date.
3) Work with your accountant on tax filings Basic Payroll does not include any tax forms. However, you can easily generate reports and work with your accountant on tax filings.
Easily pay employees yourself in QuickBooks and work with your accountant on payroll tax filings.
Get started quickly
Get started quickly with our easy step-by-step setup guide

Easily pay employees
Create paychecks in just a few clicks: Basic Payroll automatically calculates earnings, payroll taxes and deductions for you
Easily print paychecks yourself, or use convenient Direct Deposit (additional fees apply)
Stay current with federal and state payroll tax rates with automatic updates in QuickBooks
Run customizable reports anytime to see how payroll affects your bottom line

Instantly calculate payroll taxes
Instantly calculate federal and state payroll taxes

Work with your accountant on tax forms
Easily generate reports and work with your accountant on payroll tax filings--no tax forms included

Get help when you need it:
Get free callback support from our payroll specialists, even choose a time that is convenient for you
Receive 24/7 access to our online Payroll Answer Center

Run payroll within QuickBooks
Basic Payroll works within QuickBooks so you don't have to enter the same data twice


Buy Now

Click here for more information about QuickBooks Basic Payroll Up To 3 Employees 2009

Read More...

Adobe Acrobat Standard 9 Review

Adobe Acrobat Standard 9
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Acrobat 8 has never integrated with Office 2007, or worked right with my scanner, so I foolishly bought Acrobat 9 in the hope it would be an improvement. It's not.
It seems Adobe simply focused on jamming more features into an already bloated and buggy application making things even worse. The office 2007 integration *still* does not work--even after spending hours trying the suggested solutions from Adobe. Beware, even for this $300 product, Adobe CHARGES for any phone support beyond basic installation help.
In addition to not working with Office 2007, Acrobat 9 is slow, throws up frequent error messages, and leaves part of itself running even after you shut it down which keeps Windows from shutting down without clicking past an "Acrobat has stopped responding" message. I also had trouble with Adobe's finicky product activation.
Memo to Adobe: More features are useless if the basics don't work reliably. People don't want products that take 20 minutes to install, forever to load, require hours of searching for and trying various support solutions to no avail, throw up frequent error messages, etc.
Someone else needs to come along (Google are you listening?) and derail Adobe's PDF train with a simple, reliable product that's more like Acrobat used to be in the old days (say version 5). For the 3% of the PDF users who actually *need* all the extra obscure publishing features, they can still buy Adobe's buggy bloatware. The rest of us just want reliable basic PDF support that works with the current applications and standards.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Adobe Acrobat Standard 9

Adobe Acrobat Standard v9 Windows

Buy Now

Click here for more information about Adobe Acrobat Standard 9

Read More...

Roxio Easy VHS to DVD Review

Roxio Easy VHS to DVD
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I've never written an online review before. But my experience with this product was, and continues to be so unpleasant, I feel I owe it to potential unsuspecting buyers to share what has happened to me. I bought TWO of these packages at $59 each at Best Buy three weeks ago- as of right now I am THREE WEEKS into my failed attempts to making either system install or function in any way.
I bought TWO of these systems. One for an almost new HP Vista Home Premium 64 bit laptop as well as my very well maintained XP Pro 32 bit (service pack 3) desktop PC. I found it interesting that I had total failure in my attempts to install or use this packages on either computer - kind of taking any validity out of the argument, "well there is obviously just something wrong with your PC." But BOTH PCs?!
Of course the next argument would be that I'm just some clown that doesn't even know how to find the power cord on a computer. But in fact I am a sound engineer by profession and have been using all sorts of computer hardware and software since 1985, including Roxio and Sonic Solution's professional line of sound restoration tools (many costing in excess of $10,000) to remaster and preserve many famous early jazz music recordings for major record labels for re-release on compact disc.
That being said, I have never had so much trouble installing or using any computer hardware and software package- either professional or consumer grade in the nearly three decades I have been using this sort of equipment. This product is clearly being marketed to the average computer user (not rocket scientists) who just need a straight forward, no fuss method of transferring their old VHS libraries to a digital format, either DVD or hard drive. If a guy like me can't make it work, how is the "average" computer user supposed to use it?
ROXIO THECHNICAL SUPPORT TO THE RESCUE!
Obviously early on I decided to contact Roxio tech support to try to work out these problems. I very quickly discovered that the customer support phone lines were exclusively reserved for owners of their "flag ship" products, as they call them, NOT for us "EASY VHS" owners. NO, we would have to resort to the tech support email system or their user forums, unless we had a valid Visa or Mastercard ready to buy their premium phone support.
ROXIO EMAIL SUPPORT:
I have now contacted Roxio email tech support countless times. They would sometimes give me a bunch of Windows settings and parameters to check out to make sure all of my Vista files and so on were up to date- a reasonable strategy. Of course they always were. So this didn't solve anything.
But I also received some really insulting emails from Roxio customer support. I always spend a very long time trying to document exactly what my problems were and very accurately describe everything I have tried to resolve my issues. I was surprised, at least at first, when I would receive a generic form letter back with some trouble shooting tips I should attempt (things I clearly described in my emails that have already been tried). But I was furious when I would get these kind of generic trouble shooting emails FOR THE WRONG PRODUCT! How are they going to help make my product work when they won't even pay enough attention to what product it is that I am using?!
ROXIO USER FORUMS:
My only other recourse was to post my issues on the Roxio user forum. I only received one response. It appeared to be from the guy considered to be the forum's "technical guru". In short, the response said that the things I described simply do not happen on properly installed and well maintained Windows PCs. He suggested that I take a harsh look at my PC maintenance practices and be more careful of "the places I go to on the internet."
Having exhausted all other options, I actually took his advice which was to completely erase the contents of my (only 2 month old) Vista Home Premium 64 bit laptop and reformat the whole thing and do a clean install of windows.
After doing this, I went through the Roxio emails to confirm every single critical Windows software component and version that had to be installed as carefully as a NASA pre-launch check list. It should be noted that I did not install ANY software other than the Vista software - updated to its most current version.
Then I tried to install Roxio Easy VHS to DVD and it's updates and drivers. I was totally depressed to discover after the time and trouble I took to totally wipe clean and freshly install Windows Vista that it did nothing to solve any of the problems to installing EASY VHS to DVD.
No one seems to have any more advice to offer. I have now spent three weeks of my life trying to get a piece of software to work. Please note that this is just what I have gone through trying to install the FIRST of TWO of these systems that I bought! I have yet to even START trouble shooting the second one of these I bought for my XP pro computer! It won't work at all either.
I have been searching the internet trying to find answers that could make this product work, since the manufacturer, Roxio, can't get it to work and has no more useful suggestions.
Obviously I can not speak for anyone else's experience with this product but I think it is important to mention that I have noticed reviews of it starting to appear all over the internet. The vast majority of reviews I have found for Easy VHS to DVD are reporting identical experiences as mine. In those reviews, some customers are frustrated, other are very angry, and some reviewers on Amazon have actually reported that they have simply given up and thrown Roxio's Easy VHS to DVD in the trash.
After nearly three weeks of trying to install only the first of the two copies I bought, with no answers or resolutions from Roxio and a no returns policy on software form Best Buy, throwing EASY VHS to DVD in the trash (along with my $118) is starting to look like the only option left. I only wish I could get back the nearly three weeks of my life I wasted trying without success to make it work. "EASY" VHS to DVD?? Don't believe everything you read.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Roxio Easy VHS to DVD

It's a sad fact that treasured home movies shot on VHS, Hi8, and V8 tapes will degrade over time, eventually disappearing completely. Roxio Easy VHS to DVD makes it easy to preserve irreplaceable memories by transferring them to DVD to save and share for generations.

Easily transfer video from VHS tapes or analog camcorders to DVD. Great for transferring LPs and audio tapes too!
Video
Go from VCR to DVD in a few clicks--the fastest way to create a DVD from your VCR home video
Burn DVD, SVCD and VCD discs from your VCR or camcorder videos
Add titles and scrolling credits to your video production
Trim and cut video clips
Automatically fix video color, contrast and brightness
Quickly and easily upload video to YouTube

DVD Creation
Turn your home videos into striking DVDs complete with animated menus and fully orchestrated music
Produce Hollywood-style DVDs with motion menus and resizable buttons
Exercise full creative control over DVD menu options

Music
Digitize your analog LPs and cassettes
Auto-Level adjusts recording audio volume for the best sound quality
Automatically trim annoying gaps between tracks
Create music playlists with cross-fades and export to portable devices
Convert multiple audio for payback on a broad variety of devices
Automatically add title, artist and genre information to your music tracks
Burn Audio or MP3 CDs from your audio recordings

Sharing
Create and share online photo stories with fun effects and music directly from Roxio Easy VHS to DVD
Share with family and friends on your private, secure Roxio web page
Post video to YouTube or other popular online destinations

Disc Label Creation
Create personalized disc labels, DVD case inserts and booklets
Choose from professional-quality templates or create your own

Mobile
Convert audio and video files to play on most popular mobile devices including Sony PSP, iPod and iPhone

Roxio Easy VHS to DVD Contents:
Easy VHS to DVD Software Installation DVD
A Getting Started Guide
Roxio Video Capture USB device
Multi-Cable
External USB cable

Supported Input Formats:
Video: AVI, DV-AVI, MPEG-1/2/4, IFO/VOB, DVR-MS, ASF, MOV, WMV, QuickTime, MPEG2 Transport Stream
Audio: MP3, WAV, WMA, Dolby Digital AC-3, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, M4A, MP4
Image: JPG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, GIF

Supported Output Formats:
Video: AVI, DV-AVI, MPEG-1/2/4, WMV, MP4
Audio: MP3, WAV, WMA, Dolby Digital AC-3, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, MPEG-1/2, M4A, AAC
Video disc formats: DVD, Video CD (VCD), Super Video CD (SVCD), Mini DVD


Buy Now

Click here for more information about Roxio Easy VHS to DVD

Read More...