Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Scan multiple pages as a single PDF file with A-PDF Image to PDF

Since I upgraded to a Windows 7 machine, the scan and fax software of my HP LaserJet 3055 All-In-One printer does not work anymore. People are actually quite upset about it as you can see from the following two threads:
The "official" answer from HP's website is to use the Windows Fax and Scan software that came with Windows 7. This solution, however, at least has the following issues:
  • I can no longer connect my HP printer to the router and use it as a network scanner because Windows Fax and Scan will not recognize it as a scanner (printing is okay)
  • Windows Fax and Scan does not let you save scanned document in PDF format but TIFF only
  • Unless you use the document feeder of the printer, you cannot scan multiple pages at one shot. Instead, you have to scan the pages one-by-one, save them as separate files and merge them together, which is a big hassle.
I exchanged a few emails with HP support but they would not help me as the warranty of my printer has already expired. Guess what, when it is time for me to get a new printer, I will definitely not buy from HP.

The Microsoft Office Document Imaging software that comes with Microsoft Office can actually scan multiple pages in one shot but then I discovered that it is deprecated (no longer available) in Office 2010!

So, I tried to look for a third-party solution and found a software named A-PDF Image to PDF. I downloaded its trial version and finally I can scan multiple pages manually without the feeder as a single PDF file. It is not free (the trial version will put a watermark at the upper left corner on the first page) but it has a better interface and a lot more features than the HP scan software that I have been using in Windows XP and Vista.

Hopefully this is useful to others who got screwed by HP's All-In-One printers :P

Death Valley


Golden Canyon


Fancy a golf game with the devils? :P


Natural Bridge


The photo that I love the most from
this trip

Badwater, the lowest point in
North America




Sand Dunes in Stovepipe Wells


Monday, December 27, 2010

Las Vegas


Outside The Cosmopolitan

Between Crystals and Aria at
CityCenter

Aria lobby

In Vdara. Looks like the DNA 
double helix
The glassware at this shop
is extremely expensive

One toughest challenge of taking
pictures at tourist spots is to
avoid people..


Veer

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Close to You (Long Vacation) - Alex


Finally got a chance to record my playing of this long-time favorite of mine. One little accomplishment before the start of 2010?

Don't worry, Be Happy :)

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

漩渦 (Swirl) - 黃耀明, 彭羚



沿著你設計那些曲線
原地轉又轉墮進風眼樂園
世上萬物 向心公轉
陪我 為你沉澱

逾越了理性超過自然
瞞住了上帝讓你到身邊
即使愛你愛到你變成碎片
仍有我接應你落地上天
如你 化作了粉末 誰還要健全

來沉沒 在我的深處吧 埋在愛情下
世界快要 變作碎花 來接我吧
趁這結尾 歎口氣吧 原諒我們吧
答應送我最美那朵水花可以嗎

來擁抱著我 形成漩渦
捲起那 熱吻背後萬呎風波
將你 連同人間浸沒
我愛你 亦是那麼多

來擁抱著我 從我腳尖親我
靈魂逐寸向著洪水跌墮
戀愛在蠶蝕我 如地網天羅
不顧後果 這貪歡惹的禍
是誰在吞沒誰也奈何
是誰被捲入誰紅顏禍

來沉沒 在我的深處吧 埋在愛情下
世界快要 變作碎花 來接我吧
趁這結尾 歎口氣吧 原諒我們吧
答應送我最美那朵水花可以嗎

來擁抱著我 形成漩渦
扭曲那 萬有引力倒海翻波
直到這世界澈底攪拌
清清楚楚只得我們
直到這世界徹底癱瘓
剩下自己在遊玩

來擁抱著我 形成漩渦
捲起那 熱吻背後萬呎風波
將你 連同人間浸沒
我愛你 亦是那麼多

來擁抱著我 從我腳尖親我
靈魂逐寸向著洪水跌墮
戀愛在蠶蝕我 如地網天羅
不顧後果 這貪歡惹的禍
是誰在吞沒誰也奈何
是誰被捲入誰紅顏禍

沿著你設計那些曲線
原地轉又轉墮進風眼樂園
世上萬物 向心公轉
沉沒湖底 欣賞月圓