Archive for January, 2012

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January Is National Get Organized Month

Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

Professional Organizers Say Scanning Documents And Photos

To Digital Is Key To Beating Clutter

For 2012, Resolve To Go Paperless

Many people start the year with New Year’s resolutions – a chance to start anew. Each year, “getting organized” is listed among the top 5 resolutions made by Americans, as they strive to sort through the clutter and the mess that clog up both their workspaces, cars, homes, and even their wallets or purses. Resolving to get organized is such a popular choice largely because being disorganized is a sure recipe for stress. If you want to beat anxiety and make your life run more smoothly, maintaining a clean and organized environment is a must. And to emphasize this important fact, January is designated as National Get Organized Month. Get Organized Month (also called GO Month) is a national event sponsored by the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and dedicated to raising awareness about the benefits of getting organized. Although unknown to many, there is a large and thriving professional organizing industry in the United States. If you’re up to your eyeballs in papers, junk, or clutter, you might consider hiring a professional organizer to help solve your problems.

The National Association of Professional Organizers comprises about 4,200 professional organizers who make their livings by helping individuals and businesses create order and efficiency where there has been only chaos. Professional organizers design customized systems and processes for their clients, using specific organizing principles. An organizer also works with his or her client, teaching valuable organizing skills to ensure that the client will keep everything running smoothly in the long run. It may seem like anyone with a knack for managing time or coordinating details could be a professional organizer, but there’s some specialized knowledge and skill involved. The pros study organizational theory, small-business concepts, and methods for establishing working relationships with their clients.

One secret that the pros like to pass along might sound obvious, but its effect can be dramatic: get rid of paper. Whether it’s bank statements, bills, receipts, or even old photographs, paper takes up space, easily gets jumbled together, and quickly becomes clutter. Scan all of your important documents and photos to digital, and you won’t have to deal with the stacks of paper, the file cabinets, the boxes full of old photos, or the closets full of old photo albums. There are professional services that can handle digitizing documents in bulk, and can even create text-searchable files from ordinary printed papers. The IRS now accepts digitized receipts and other financial documents, so don’t worry about being audited. Moving forward, you can sign up to receive most bills and bank statements online, and do Mother Nature a favor while keeping your desk free from clutter. And when it comes to all those photo albums, scanning your photos to digital has never been easier. A professional photo scanning service like ScanDigital can make the process totally painless, and your precious pictures will be preserved and organized on your computer, where they can easily be flipped through and shared. Take it from the pros, and lose the paper!

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Posted in Organizational, Photo Scanning, Photo Tips | No Comments »

Rare ‘Blade Runner’ Book Scanned To Digital

Thursday, January 26th, 2012

Book Shows Concept Art Behind Film’s Influential Aesthetic

Digital Scans Available Free Online, 30 Years After Book’s Publication

Based on Philip K. Dick’s dystopian novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, the seminal science fiction film “Blade Runner” forever changed the way we envision the future. Since its release in 1982, “Blade Runner” has helped define our goals and fears for a future society, and has lent a sense of concreteness to our conceptions of what the future may look like. In popular film, very few movies (1989’s Back to the Future Part II comes to mind) have made so lasting impression on our idea of what the future may hold in terms of technology and social constructs. Stars Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young were memorable in their portrayals of their characters, but it was the setting of a post-modern apocalyptic Los Angeles of 2019 that gave the film such staggering impact.

In the film, genetically engineered organic robots called replicants, which are sentient and look just like humans, serve various purposes on Earth’s off-world colonies but are banned on the planet itself. Replicants who ignore the ban are hunted and destroyed by “Blade Runners,” a team of special ops policemen. Expert Blade Runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is ready for retirement, but agrees to one final assignment in hunting down a brutal and cunning group of recently escaped replicants hiding out in Los Angeles.

The film’s visuals were created by a team of visionaries, including director Ridley Scott, designer Syd Mead, and effects specialist Douglas Trumbull. The influence of the aesthetic they created was so profound that many elements of the film’s visuals still pop up in movies, TV shows, comic books, video games, and more. This elaborate creation included cyberpunks, flying cars, and a crumbling urban backdrop that now has both retro and futuristic sensibilities. When the film was released, a limited edition Blade Runner Sketchbook was published to document the entire visual concept of the movie. This rare book can occasionally be found online, selling for hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But now the entire book has been scanned to digital and published online, allowing the whole world to see how the aesthetic of “Blade Runner” was created 30 years ago. Best of all, the digital scans of the book can be accessed for free, courtesy of a leading digital publishing platform called Issuu.

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Posted in digital photography, technology | 3 Comments »

Customer Testimonials: “Awesome customer service from start to finish.”

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012
To assure we’re doing our job right, we follow up with every customer after their order is complete. If there’s ever any issue, we address it immediately. Most of the time however, we receive rave reports. On behalf of the ScanDigital team, I’d like to say “Thank You” to our amazing customers. We’re truly flattered to know you are happy and honored to have been trusted with your family’s precious memories. Please find a sampling of the testimonials below that we’ve recently received.

If you’d like to hear more from our customers, you are welcome to visit our Testimonial page. If you have any questions or would just like to chat, you can always find us here on Twitter and Facebook, by email at info@scandigital.com or by phone at 888.333.2808 if you have any questions or just want to chat!

“I had a great experience with Scan Digital and am VERY likely to use your services again.  My order was very complex and executed perfectly and was delivered by the promised date.” – Robbie, CA

“We were extremely pleased with your ScanDigital process and the wonderful outcome!!  The pictures were wonderful considering the age of the pictures and the wear and tear over the years.” – Paula, WA

“My pictures and VHS tape were returned to me in exactly the same condition they were sent. I feel like your employees took great care with my photos and VHS tape.” – Amy, IN

“Considering the care you take in processing and the fact that you accept photos in albums I think your prices are fair. The quality of your service matches the price and I feel that I got my money’s worth.” – Sami, British Columbia

“ScanDigital sends updates on arrival and progress and makes all information about my order available on my account information. Plus [they] put the photos online, send mailing labels and respond promptly! The updates reinforce [their] professionalism. Good job!” – Bo, FL

“I think your customer service has been phenomenal. You are like riding the Segway; you only have to “think” a question and the answer is almost immediately and warmly in your inbox. I am über satisfied with you!” – Diane, MO

“We have been pleased with the results each time [we’ve used ScanDigital’s services]. We appreciate your ability to follow special instructions such as only transferring a specific section of video. Shipping was simple and pricing is easy to figure out. I am sure we will use your service again!” – Lori, GA

“I was happy with the final product and think the restoration was really good.  I made calendars for holiday gifts with the images and everyone loved them.” – Shayna, OH

“I’m impressed with your interest and attention to making it all right. I really thank you for that, and I’ll be ScanDigital’s fan when it comes to recommending your service.” – Lorena, CA

“I would definitely use you guys again and have already recommended you to my friends. Your website and pricing are straightforward. When I called in with a question, I received a prompt callback. I like your online tracking system, which allows the customer to see the job in progress. And I like the packaging of the final delivery.” – Jaime, MD

“Awesome customer service from start to finish.” – Lisa, VA

“I am very satisfied with Scan Digital service.  I have used your service two times to convert some “priceless” family tapes and reels into DVDs.  Both times, I had excellent service and communication from your company.” – Carolyn, NJ

“I have used your services twice now and have been very satisfied both times. I have no complaints; you take care of everything and do a great job.  Each job, I put little notes in and your [technicians] follow them to a tee and then send everything back.” – Joyce, IL

“I am more than pleased with your service and your expertise. As you can imagine, I was reluctant to ship my negatives anywhere because after Katrina, they were all I had of my pictures. It has never been about just converting my negatives to digital. Your reps have always been good to keep informed every step of the way and I love how I can track my order through your website. I recommend you all of the time.” – Teresa, MS

“I was a little nervous about sending the only copies I had of the VHS tapes clear across the country. However, after one phone call about how to send the tapes, everything fell into place. (I was a little unsure about whether it was clear that I wanted one DVD per VHS tape.) I was kept informed by email that they had been received at your facility and was notified of how long it was expected to take, and also when the order was actually on it’s way back to me. Everything worked perfectly.” – Kathy, RI

“Your company was incredible! I wanted to have this particular photo printed on a canvas for my mom and I had a deadline. Your team was in touch with me every step of the way! They were able to expedite the entire process and the DVD they sent back was INCREDIBLE! I couldn’t believe how beautiful and vibrant our photo from at least 15 years ago was! I was able to print the picture for my mom and it proudly hangs in our family room – it would not have been possible without your company!” – Kelly, IL

“I would definitely recommend your service to my friends and family members.  I felt like the people working with my memories really cared.” – Della, IN

“I was so impressed with your service! I received an email immediately upon contacting you.  It explained your services in detail, what I needed to do to get my photos to you…everything I needed to know.  I heard from you when you received my photos, and how they would be handled.  As my project was finished, you let me know when I would receive it.  Your customer service and follow up was beyond expectations!” – Linda, IA

“I had a wonderful experience with Scan Digital!  I loved that they kept me up to date about how my order was coming along and I love the end product.  I like how the jackets were labeled with strips of the video so you could see what was on the tape.” – Sherri, NC

“The quality of your scans far exceeded my expectations.  Each and every scan had beautiful color and the resolution was great.  My family was very impressed with the quality of the family photo scans and enjoyed reliving some old times!  I cannot say enough how pleased I was with the scans” – Stephanie, CT

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Stop Online Piracy Act Has Strong Critics In Google, Facebook

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

Companies Fear SOPA Gives Government Power To Censor The Web

Bill Would Help Block Piracy, But At What Price?

The digital world has many benefits, and most of us couldn’t imagine life without its many treasures. Perhaps most significantly, the advent of the Internet has combined with the media digitization – from music to movies – to complete change the way we consumers get our hands on information and entertainment. But while music and film digitization has made it easier to consume content from sources like iTunes, Hulu, and Netflix, it has also opened up a new world of online piracy – a business of bootlegged content that hurts not just the film and record industries, but the entire economy.

And now, the  House of Representatives committee is preparing to debate a bill of great significance to many industries, including the movie business, the record industry, the television industry, content providers such as Netflix and cable/satellite providers, and internet services from Google to iTunes. The bill in question is called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). Basically, the bill would empower the U.S. Attorney General to take action against websites (even those based outside of the United States) that host the illegal streaming and downloading of copyrighted intellectual property, such as music, movies, and TV shows. SOPA and a similar bill called Protect IP are being supported by the Motion Picture Association of America, the Recording Industry Association of America, Netflix, and many other movers and shakers in these industries.

But critics of the Stop Online Piracy Act, which include well-known web companies such as Facebook, Google, Ebay, PayPal, AOL, and Wikipedia, say that the bill gives law enforcement authorities the power to censor the World Wide Web to a startling degree, without a trial or proof of wrong-doing – thus threatening free speech and the rights of due process. Microsoft and Verizon have recently expressed their own concerns about the bill, though criticism from such major businesses has not prevented the development of considerable bipartisan support in the legislature.

In an open letter to Congress, these high-profile SOPA critics said that the proposed legislation would have a “chilling effect on innovation,” and went as far as to compare the bill to censorship techniques used in China, Iran, and other totalitarian governments. The technology community fears that, under the bill, the government would have the power to shut down websites like Google and Yahoo!, and payment processors like PayPal, simply because they may serve or link to sites that are in violation of the terms of the law. The threat of censorship is not to be taken lightly, but the supporters of SOPA aren’t concerned that such a legislation would lead to a “big-brother” society. First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams summed up his feelings on the subject in a column in the Washington Post, saying, “Chinese dissidents do not yearn for freedom in order to download pirated movies.”

As music and film digitization continues to push physical media into obsolescence, enforcing legal downloading will be crucial to our economy. It is clear to everyone that some measures must be taken to inhibit piracy, but it remains unclear how best to do so. At press time, SOPA had just been modified so that it no longer includes a provision that would require internet service providers to block access to overseas Web sites that have been accused of (though not convicted of) piracy.

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National Film Registry Aims To Digitize, Preserve Important Films

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

Library Of Congress Selects Films For Preservation

National Film Registry To Include “Bambi,” “Silence Of The Lambs,” “Forrest Gump”

In 1988, the National Film Preservation Act established a group called the United States National Film Preservation Board. Each December, the Board helps the Librarian of Congress choose 25 films to be included in the National Film Registry, a film digitization and preservation project conducted by the Library of Congress. So far, the National Film Registry contains 575 films that have been deemed significant “culturally, historically, or aesthetically.”

“These films are selected because of their enduring significance to American culture,” said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. “Our film heritage must be protected because these cinematic treasures document our history and culture and reflect our hopes and dreams.” Billington finalized this year’s selections to the registry after meeting with library film curators and members of the National Film Preservation Board to discuss the top contenders. Nominations come from the public, and this year saw 2,228 films nominated. Of these, Billington himself reviewed several hundred.

The chosen few will receive top preservation efforts from the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation, which works to safeguard our film heritage. Film digitization is an important part of preservation, both because it protects the films against damage to physical media, and because it allows for practically infinite distribution of the films. Billington said that one of long-term goals of the project is to make all films in the registry available online. “Maximizing public access is one of the core concerns of the Library of Congress, because it’s the closest thing we have to a national patrimony of the creative arts,” he said.

This year’s selections included some relatively recent films such as Academy Award winners “Forrest Gump” (1994) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991). The oldest film to be included in this year’s batch was Charlie Chaplin’s first full-length feature, “The Kid” (1921). Also selected were “Norma Rae” (1979, starring Sally Field), George Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess” (1959), and the Disney classic “Bambi” (1942).

For more information, and to see a complete list of this year’s selected films, go to 2011 National Film Registry More Than a Box of Chocolates.

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