Rick's Daily Tips

Rick’s Daily Pick: Kodak Pixpro FZ55 16MP Compact Digital Camera

Posted on August 4, 2026

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

My “Pick” for today is this awesome Kodak Pixpro FZ55 16MP Compact Digital Camera.

These days when most people decide to take a photo they pull out their smartphone and open the Camera app. But some scenes and situations are just better suited for a stand-alone camera. This little gem fits easily into one of your pockets so you can carry it with you anywhere.

Click here to check out the Kodak Pixpro FZ55 16MP Compact Digital Camera at Amazon.

Did you miss (or want to revisit) one of my earlier picks? You might find it right here.

Picture of the Day: “Swedish style red house in rural Ohio”

Posted on August 4, 2026

I was told this type of house is typical in Sweden but this one can be found on a farm in rural central Ohio. I hope you like it.

Have lots of treasured photos of your own that you’d love to display in your home but you have limited wall space? A digital picture frame (#ad) is an excellent solution. Check them out!

Enjoy these Pictures of the Day? Sign up for my free Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter and you’ll never miss one (or any of my tech tips either)!

Monthly Tech Giveaway – August 2026

Posted on July 31, 2026

Note: The links on this page are affiliate links.

August’s winner will receive a fantastic Ambient Weather WS-2000 Smart Weather Station with Wi-Fi Remote Monitoring and Alerts.

If you’re a weather buff like I am you’ll love this personal weather station. It’ll keep you up-to-date on what’s happening outside your own home in real time.

All subscribers to the Standard edition of my Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter have an equal chance to win.

Premium subscribers have two chances to win (their email addresses are added to the “pot” twice).

Not a subscriber? Just enter your email address in the sign-up form on this page.

Once subscribed you’ll be eligible to win each month’s drawing – starting with this month. Better yet, opt for a Premium subscription for double the chance to win!

The drawing for this month’s prize will be held on August 31 and the winner will be notified by email. The winner will be selected at random.

Good luck!

Should you completely drain your laptop’s battery before recharging it?

Posted on August 4, 2026

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I’m often asked whether laptop batteries need to be drained completely before recharging them. My answer? Not anymore!

Early laptops used nickel-cadmium (NiCad) batteries which were subject to a “memory effect”.

If NiCad batteries weren’t allowed to discharge all the way before being recharged they would eventually “remember” the level of charge they fell to before recharging and act as if they were completely drained every time their charge decreased to that level. [Read more…]

Q&A: Can you recommend a good online photo editor?

Posted on August 3, 2026

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Question from Roger: Hi, Rick. I’d love to have your advice on a good online photo editor.

I bought Photoshop Elements and installed it on my desktop computer several years ago. That computer got destroyed by lightning so I bought a new desktop PC and installed Photoshop Elements on it from that same disc, and it worked fine.

Well, that replacement PC is getting pretty long in the tooth now so I bought a computer to replace it. When I went to install Photoshop Elements on the new computer it told me I had already installed it on two machines and it wouldn’t let me install it on the new one. [Read more…]

Smart Glasses vs Regular Sunglasses: Costly novelty or the wearable tech worth having?

Posted on August 3, 2026

If you have been seeing smart glasses pop up more often and wondering whether they are actually worth the extra money over a regular pair of sunglasses, you are not alone. The honest answer is that it depends entirely on how you use sunglasses in the first place, and what problems you are actually trying to solve.

Smart glasses have come a long way from the clunky, self-conscious tech eyewear that appeared a decade ago and disappeared just as quickly. The current generation looks like regular eyewear, fits like regular eyewear, and in most social situations reads as exactly that. [Read more…]