Our last post dealt with Google’s new search feature, allowing you to rapidly find details about just about any photo you drag and drop onto the search bar. Read about that here: Google Image Search In that post, we used an image that we captured from a video, essentially something that didn’t exist anywhere else. Lo and behold, Google was able to match our photo with others from the same video.
That got us thinking about a game we could play among ourselves. We used this photo, the one from our About page, and dropped it into Google Image Search:
The original image that we used for the search.
We thought it would be fun to see what Google came up with, as far as locating some faces that were similar. Everyone has a doppelgänger, they say, so we started looking for ours. Here’s what we saw:
Google’s ‘similar’ photo result.
Maybe Google finds photos with similar lighting or facial angles, who knows? We won’t say anything about the three photos of women but, honestly, the one with the banana is pretty funny! Have some fun with this. Share this story on Facebook and have your friends take the Doppelgänger Test.
Everyone knows that Google search engine is the best, hands down. We’re betting that you didn’t know about Google’s new image search feature. It’s like magic, it really is. Here’s the scoop on it.
In this example we’re using a photo that we got from a screen capture of the Windows 8 advertising video. In other words, the photo that we used didn’t exist before we did the screen capture of it. You’ll see why this is significant in a moment. For now, here is the image that we needed details about:
We didn’t know who the singer was. We thought it was Feist.
Who is the singer? Well, let’s see if Google can tell us. We opened up Google in our browser, then clicked the ‘image’ tab on the top.
Make sure the Images tab is selected.
Next, we opened the folder where our image was saved, clicked on it once and dragged it into the search box on Google.
Drag the unopened image onto the search bar.
Drag and drop, that’s what this is called. Drag the unopened picture file over to the search area (the one where you would normally type a word), and drop it there. Google uploads the pic to its servers and searches for similar or identical photos.
Depending on the size of the photo and the speed of your Internet connection, this could take a little bit of time.
What did Google find with our home-made image? Well, it didn’t find the exact duplicate but Google did find many similar photos. Farther down the list, we discovered who the singer was.
Lenka! That’s who it is!
Mystery solved. Lenka is the singer in this black and white music video, part of a Windows 8 advertising promotion.
Have some fun with this new Google search feature. We’re sure that you’ll find some fun and creative ways to use it.
We own quite a few domain names here at Computers Made Simple. All are registered with one company, all are up to date and all are set to automatically renew on their respective anniversary dates. We get substantial amounts of email from our domain company but we also get emails from the vulture service that is known as ‘Domain Service’.
This particularly loathsome outfit scours the web for domains that are about to expire. Once they find such a domain, they send out an email, from a hotmail account if you can believe it, that looks like this:
This looks vaguely like a domain renewal notice.
Next, farther down the email, comes the prices:
Ridiculous prices for nothing, absolutely nothing.
Lastly, here is a description (in fine print) of what this email is actually soliciting:
This is a ‘search engine submission’, something that is completely unnecessary these days.
Once you read the fine print, you’ll see that this is just another scam. With the likes of Google and Bing, there is no need for ‘search engine submission’ at all. Additionally, this looks vaguely like a domain registration renewal, doesn’t it? Even if it it was, the prices are at least three times higher than any other company out there. There is no ‘lifetime’ renewal, by the way.
The big clue in this would be the originating email address. We can guarantee that no reputable company uses a hotmail address. The web is full of scams like this. We’ll try to help you identify them as they come to our attention.
We recently updated our Internet Service Provider (ISP). Worldline set us up with unlimited 6 Meg DSL Internet plus phone plus Canada long-distance service for $50.00 a month. Yes, you read that correctly. If you take the link and decide to sign-up, tell them that Brian Mahoney sent you. We’ll get a discount for that just as you will when you refer people to them. Today was our first day and, touch wood, so far so good. The phone service is crystal clear and the Internet is super fast! We’ll let you know if anything changes over time.
Before you dive into this, we should let you know that your phone won’t work if the power goes off. Everything goes through a Thomson router, both Internet and phone, so if the power is gone, so is your phone. You can get a UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) and plug the router into it for complete protection but if your electricity goes off for long periods of time, this may not be the option for you.
Secondly, the 911 service cannot locate you as it can with a regular phone. Sure, you can keep your old number, but you have to tell the 911 operator your location. Again, this may not be for everyone. If you have some chronic condition that limits you from speaking in an emergency, stick with your normal landline.
Try it if you are in Canada.
In the last month, we’ve also switched to using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) on some of our computers and entertainment consoles. We like to kick back with a movie during downtime and Netflix is our main choice for that. But, since we are in Canada, we are in awe of the superb offerings on the American version of Netflix. In order to connect to the U.S. Netflix, we have to use a VPN which shows us as coming from inside the U.S. instead of from Canada.
This is not illegal, by the way. Once you have a Netflix account, you can access any Netflix offering in any country where they operate. This is convenient if you travel, for instance. If you have a U.S. or Canadian account, you can access Netflix in Brazil, Ireland, Mexico, England as well as in the U.S. and Canada. We pay $5 a month for this service, using a VPN provider right here in Canada.
The process is simple and explained on the provider’s site. You can either set up each computer or entertainment console individually or you can change the settings on your router which feeds out the Internet to all of your various computers/consoles. Each situation is different but they are all explained on the provider’s site. Here’s the link: http://www.unblock-us.com/ In this case, we don’t get any referral fees but it’s only $5 a month anyway.
VPNs can be used to mask where you are really coming from.
Lastly, we are not connected in any way to either of these two companies. With Worldline we get a $5 kickback if you mention Brian’s name and for Unblock-us, we get nothing. But we like to give credit where credit is due and both of these companies provide good service at a very decent price. If any service problems crop up, we’ll let you know.
Here in Canada, we’ve all been shocked by the story of a 15 year old girl who committed suicide after being bullied at her high school as well as being blackmailed online. When this girl was 12, she made a mistake while using her webcam with a man and paid for that mistake for three years, until her suicide in October of 2012. We will not publish this girl’s name but you can search for her incredibly touching video on Youtube. Here are some tips to stay safe online, most of these apply to girls but parents should take note of these tips, as well.
1. As we told you in our Facebook posts, anything you do online can be traced back to you. If you make a mistake, there is no delete button that will make it all better. Before you do something that you wouldn’t normally do, something that might go against your parent’s normal sense of decency, think about it before you do it. Is it worth ruining your immediate future for a silly, seemingly harmless moment online?
2. Recording your webcam sessions is much easier than you might think. Read this post and see if you don’t agree: Video Screen Capture Using CamStudio CamStudio is free and very easy to use. It records both video and sound. When someone is recording your webcam feed, there is no way that you will know it. Remember that. There is no notification that you are being recorded.
It’s very easy to capture video and sound using CamStudio.
3. If you are chatting with someone, how do you know that this person is who they say they are? If you are webcamming with someone, how do you know that the person on the screen is real? Well, as far as chatting goes, have them send you an email. Using our guide, here is the link: Email Detective: Is your email buddy really who they say there are? , you can figure out if they are where they pretend to be.
If you are using your webcam, and you should only use your webcam if the other person also uses theirs, have them wave at you or, better yet, have them hold up a piece of paper with your name on it. Many unscrupulous people play a recorded video to make you think that the person you see is real. They will often stop the video suddenly or say that their camera is broken. Make a rule for yourself: No webcam without a real person on the other screen.
4. Remember that screen captures work two ways. While someone can record you, you can also record them. This way, should something bad happen, then you have proof of who you were chatting with.
5. If you are on a chat site and you’re feeling a little frisky, don’t show your face. Don’t have anything in the background that people can trace back to you. Wear a mask, if you get carried away. Don’t listen to the people who ask you to show your face, show your this or that. They are the ones who are recording you, most likely. Whole websites have been built up around these videos that they record so don’t play into their game. Common sense will keep you out of trouble.
6. If you use sites such as Stickam or Chatroulette, don’t get tricked into showing anything that you wouldn’t show on the street or while your parents are watching. These sites can be fun but don’t do anything on them that you wouldn’t do normally. Just be yourself and have clean, safe fun.
7. Lastly, don’t get drunk and do crazy things online. Not only will you regret it the next day, one of those things may very well come back to haunt you. One silly flash online could change your whole life. Have fun with your friends, stay away from strangers until you get to know them, and keep your wits about you. If someone seems too forceful or belligerent, block them.
Computers Made Simple advocates safe and fun computing. All of the chat tools are both educational and entertaining but they can be dangerous, too. Young people think they know everything. We know that we felt the same way back in our teens. If you’re concerned about what your children do online, talk to them about it. Let them know that you know about sites like Stickam, Chatroullette and others. If you don’t know, check them out. You’d be very surprised about what goes on there. You don’t have to sneak around behind your kid’s backs, just talk to them openly. Sugar gets better results than salt, right?
Thanks for reading! Comments, questions, opinions are welcome.
a little bit of hi-tech, a little bit of common sense and a lot of fun
