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This article is written from the point of view of recovering deleted photos from a digital camera memory card, but most of the software will work to recover any type of file from any disk drive.

The first thing you must do is stop using the memory card.  The more you use the card, the less likely that you will be able to recover the photos.

There are loads of free utilities that will recover photos, and I suggest trying them in the following order:

1. Zero Assumption Recovery
• Full version is paid-for but the photo recovery option is free
• Download here
• Follow these instructions
2. Recuva
• Download here
• Install it and follow the wizard which guides you through the recovery process
3. Undelete Plus
• Download here
• Follow these instructions

If you’ve tried all of those and been unsuccessful, then I’m afraid it’s not looking very promising, but if you want to continue trying here are a few more utils:

• Avira UnErase Personal
• FreeUndelete
• PC INSPECTOR File Recovery

AndyM Computers, Software

Some speakers are better than others at dealing with the interference caused by GSM mobiles.  This article documents one bloke’s extended quest to solve the problem.

Executive summary is:

• The interference affects the amplifier, not the speakers or the cable (most computer speakers have the amp built-in to one of the speakers) so the solution is a well shielded amplifier.
• Cheap solution is DLO Portable Speakers for iPhone (Apparently these are now distributed by Philips)
• More expensive solution is Sonic Impact T-Amp with high sensitivity (90dB) bookshelf speakers

AndyM Gadgets, Mobile Phone

I’ve been assessing various backup options for both business and personal use recently so here’s a summary of my findings

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AndyM Computers, Software

For non-default Hotkey settings, see this post

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AndyM Software, iTunes

Quick reference for keyboard shortcuts

iTunes Shortcuts

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AndyM Keyboard Shortcuts, iTunes

Some notes on the way I use iTunes:

Updating the Library

iTunes assumes that you will be allowing it to manage your music, and that the only ways you will add music are buying it from the iTunes Store, or ripping CDs with iTunes. It also assumes you will delete music from within iTunes. If you download music from other sources, or delete/move the files around in Explorer, then the iTunes library will lose track of the MP3s. Read more…

AndyM iTunes

Server Side Include can be used to allow insertion of an HTML into another. e.g. header or footer can be separated from pages so you only have to change a single file to update the header/footer on all pages of your site. Read more…

AndyM Web Development

How_to_reduce_the_memory_usage_on_Firefox

Config.trim_on_minimize

solving-firefox-memory-leak-problems-step-by-step-guide

AndyM Computers, Software

from Lifehacker:

Regarding transferring songs out of iTunes, readers point out that you can select, drag and drop songs from iTunes to a Windows Explorer or Mac Finder window to copy them to a destination folder, a much easier method than Friday’s iTunes Export tack. However, the drag and drop method does NOT create an M3U playlist like iTunes Export does. Also, when I tested drag and drop on an extra large playlist (over a thousand songs), it refused to do a thing. For shorter lists it worked like a charm. Thanks, ‘hackers!

AndyM Computers, iTunes

from Lifehacker:

You already know you can use Ctrl+Enter to avoid typing http://www or .com when entering URLs in the Firefox address bar. Along those same lines, you can even go to a web site’s subpages without typing the protocol or top level domain. Try it: type apple/trailers into the Firefox address bar and press Ctrl+Enter (Cmd+Enter for Mac users). Her Foxiness will fill in the http://www and .com in all the right places and zip you right along to Apple’s Trailers section of the site. Same works for lifehacker/software/downloads, too. Nifty!

You can also use shift+enter in a similar way – wraps “www.” and “.net” around whatever you type.

AndyM Computers