I understand the concept and I understand the choices. What I don't understand is if I have a SD card reader on my laptop. It is an Asus P501J and the specs say that I have a Card Reader : 4 in 1 card reader, SD,MMC,MS,MS-Pro. I can't find it.

This is for the driver, which includes the specs: http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/Other-DRIVERS-TOOLS/Asus/Asus-P50IJ-Notebook-Alcor-AU6433-Card-Reader-Driver-131725001-for-Win7.shtml

I opened device manager to see if I can use SD card, but I can't find the slot. I can't find any picture online, either.
In DM, I looked for what is obvious, but I wouldn't know obvious if it jumped out and bit me.
Using a USB cable is fine ALSO. I haven't gotten the camera yet, but I am thinking of running to Best Buy. I need a camera for a couple of hours ONLY and then I don't need it anymore - at least this year.

Thank you.

It would appear to be on the front edge.
The camera will probably come with a USB cable to connect between the camera and a PC. I advise against installing the software for the camera in most cases. Windows 7 typically can see the camera without it. Use the photo software of your choosing to manage your photo library and perform editing. I suggest Windows Live Photo Gallery.

-steve

p.s. You don't need the driver unless you installed Windows fresh on it. And if you did, get the driver from Asus and not a 3rd party.

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Gee, Stephen, talk about staring me right in the face.
"People said" it's usually in the front, but it doesn't look like a slot, because it has a piece of plastic in it (which people also said it might have).
I always have tons of paper sitting on my keyboard (I use a wired full-sized keyboard), so even when I close the top, it doesn't click shut.
I assumed that was the latch. Can you imagine?!! You are, as usual, insanely & intensely helpful.

I spoke to Customer Service to make sure I don't need anything else and I don't. Yes, it does come w/a USB cable. I will not download any software and I plan on using Windows Live Photo Gallery. I will heed your Asus driver warning. I checked out most questions first.
As soon as my in-store purchase is ready notification comes, I can go pick it up.

Did you avoid Sandy?
Thank you!

I will somewhat disagree with Steve on not installing the camera's software. Whether to install or not depends on the software bundled with the camera. For instance my camera, Canon, comes with a utility for 'stitching' shots to make a panorama. I have done a panorama involving 15 images both manually and with the utility. Took about 2 hours manually and less than 5 minutes with the utility.

What I would suggest as to bundled software is to see what is offered and then search for what each utility does. Install those that will be of use and discard those that won't.

Now I totally agree that drivers will probably not be needed. Whether connected via USB or using the card reader (I recommend using USB rather than pulling out the card all the time) it will access just like a flash drive in Windows Explorer. Now there are some exceptions to this such as some of the lower end Vivitar cameras. Some of these cameras strictly use built in storage, not a removable card. This type of camera will need both the drivers and bundled software installed.

BTW, the piece of plastic in the card slot is to protect from getting foreign objects in the slot.

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Windows Live Photo Gallery (now Windows Photo Gallery) does panoramas in seconds, Jay. Along with a whole bunch of other things. Still the best photo software for most people.

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

I did say, "in most cases."

-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

The problem that I have with the Photo Gallery is that while it will read image files in RAW format you cannot do any editing on such files. For many that use a camera a lot this is not acceptable. Other than that I will agree that it does a decent job.

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OK. Probably most folks don't use RAW images though. If you're the sort of user to use RAW image formats, then you probably have a much more capable graphics program like Adobe or Corel's Paintshop Pro. I have Paintshop Pro as well as the Microsoft Digital Image Suite and Windows Photo Gallery. I use the latter two far more often than the former.

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Yep, I mostly use PaintShop Pro X3 but do use some of the bundled Canon software. Another graphics package that I like but is out of date is Macromedia's (remember them) Fireworks. Wonderful program but can't read some of the more recent formats. Such a shame that Adobe bought out Macromedia.

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My Asus Notebook has the card slot on the front but more over to the side. My camera does have the SD Card, it's a ViviCam 6324, not that I use it much these days, I've had it a good while now, it did come with a cable to connect it to the computer but I used to just take the card out and transfer the images from that. I've also got the first Digital camera I bought an Olympus C-1, hubby prefers to use that one and as he doesn't have a card reader on his computer I just connect the camera to the machine via the cables that it came with.

I don't take photos much these days but when I do it's usually with my phone, an HTC Wildfire S, takes very good shots.

_________________
Joan Archer
http://crossstitcher.webs.com

I bought a Canon Power Shot. Because it has no internal memory, I bought a SD card. It came with a mini USB cable, so that is the way I will download pix. I read through the instructions this morning, but got stopped cold when I remembered I had to charge the battery. I haven't even set the date yet. Had I not had to run out late last night, my entire day today would have been different.

I will figure it out tomorrow. Perhaps you can let me know your feelings about the setup disk. The shots I will take are for biz, not pleasure, and I don't plan on keeping this awesome device! If I could load my cell phone pix to my laptop w/o having internet access, that camera would suffice.

I understand now that the plastic is to protect from dust. Figuring out how to remove it is another story.
I don't have long nails anymore, I don't have petite hands, and can't grab it. Do you grab it from the sides and pull? Do you put your finger on the top or the bottom - is there leverage (a groove or a tab kind of thing?

Thank you.

Push in the plastic piece and it will pop out.

Why can't you grab pics from your phone without internet? Internet should have nothing to do with it. At the worst you would pop the mini or micro SD card out of your phone and use your card reader. Best would be to just connect the phone via USB.

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Oh, wow - it just clicked out. Thank you, Jay.

I lost the instructions to my phone shortly after I bought it (I was in the middle of a temp/permanent move). Now that I know what an SD card is and looks like, the only place that looks like it could be a slot is above the hinge that closes the lid. I just stuck a piece of paper up there and it is a space that could possibly hold a card. It's an LG, that I got from Verizon when I signed up for service and I don't see a model number.

Since I'm getting the digi cam ready for use, I will focus on the phone later.
I always mistakenly thought ! had to have internet access to download pix - I had no idea.

Thank you.

Open up the phone and look under the battery. You should see the model #. Google the number and you should find the manual for the phone. Download to your computer. I have a LG vx 5600 (Accolade) and it doesn't have a SD card

_________________
To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

I am trying to set up my digital camera (my first one) and I can't open the spot on the camera that houses the USB port. Best Buy disconnected me once and I'm still on hold.

Will do as you suggest when I have the luxury of time. Thank you.

I was having trouble installing and detection and all sorts of bad stuff. I think the software is loading properly now.

I supposedly downloaded and installed everything on the CD.
I can't find my user manual.
I searched Search, docs, picture, windows viewer and I can't pull it up.
Where might this be?

Thank you.

Go to Programs Files - Canon and see if it's there

_________________
To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

I looked at it online, it's easier to look at the screen and hold the camera in my hands instead.
The camera is so bloody small, I had to use a magnifying glass to find the buttons.
Never again!

Thank you.

Isn't my program supposed to open when the camera with pictures is hooked up (by USB)?

I changed the program to use Windows Gallery, but nothing else is happening.
The power turned on and off on the camera, so I am going to see if it needs a charge, while waiting to figure out how to print. I need to do it today.
Thank you.

It's not in Program files. When I do a regular Search in Start, nothing shows up.
Next?
Thank you.

Put the CD back in and make sure the manual is there. See if you can copy it from there to your desktop.
or
Go to the Canon website. You should find it there. Then download it to your computer.

_________________
To all current duty personnel and veterans
of the American armed forces.
Thank You

I had to link the camera to the computer more deeply.
I have moved onto trying to print pictures in color - they are all coming out yellow, no matter what I do.

I might just stick to b/w - this is getting tedious. And it's late.

Thank you.