Does PowerPlugs: Emoticons add much size (and therefore download time) to my email messages?

Will my email recipients be able to see my emoticons, even if they don't use Microsoft Outlook or PowerPlugs: Emoticons?

In most cases, yes. Although you must use Microsoft Outlook to insert PowerPlugs: Emoticons in your email messages, the emoticon graphics should be recognized and supported by almost all of today's popular email programs and Web browsers. Please see the list of compatible programs below:

Does PowerPlugs: Emoticons add much size (and therefore download time) to my email messages?

The still or animated graphics that PowerPlugs: Emoticons adds to an email message only increases the file size by about 4KB, which is less than 10% for an average 40K email (including attachments). When using a standard dial-up modem connection, this will add a negligible 2 or 3 seconds to the time it takes to download a message. Of course, for those using a broadband Internet connection, it will produce virtually no measurable slowdown at all.

How do I install PowerPlugs: Emoticons?

Make sure Outlook and Word are both closed. After you have purchased PowerPlugs: Emoticons (or registered for the free trial version), download the software from the link(s) provided. Locate the downloaded file on your computer, then simply double-click the file to begin installation.

Note: During installation, even after closing Outlook and Word, PowerPlugs: Emoticons may detect that some components of these programs are still running. In that case it will display a dialog box allowing you to close them down completely. Simply click the "Close Application" button to proceed with the installation.

How do I uninstall PowerPlugs: Emoticons?

Make sure Outlook and Word are both closed prior to uninstalling PowerPlugs: Emoticons. Then choose one of these two recommended ways to uninstall PowerPlugs: Emoticons:

Note: During uninstallation, even after closing Outlook and Word, PowerPlugs: Emoticons may detect that some components of these programs are still running. In that case it will display a dialog box allowing you to close them down completely. Simply click the "Close Application" button to proceed with the uninstallation.

How do I use PowerPlugs: Emoticons?

Once you have installed PowerPlugs: Emoticons, open Outlook and do any of the following actions will display the PowerPlugs: Emoticons dialog box --

• click the New button in Microsoft Outlook's Standard toolbar; or
• from the New button's pull-down menu, select Mail Message; or
• from the File menu, select New > Mail Message ; or
• from the Actions menu, select New Mail Message; or
• press the hot-key combination Ctrl+N; or
• select Reply / Reply to All on an email that has been sent to you.

Upon selecting one of the above actions, the PowerPlugs: Emoticons toolbar displays underneath the Outlook menu / toolbar. You can then choose from four categories of emoticons (Standard, Animated 2-D, Animated-3D and Gem-Like), as well as style, color and size. Once you've made you choice of these options, the emoticon is automatically inserted exactly where your cursor is currently set in the body of your email.

Why don't I see PowerPlugs: Emoticons when I first open Outlook?

The PowerPlugs: Emoticons tools / menu appears after you select New (email) or Reply / Reply to All (a received email) .

Why don't I see the animated emoticons animate in the email I am composing?

If you have Microsoft Word set as the default email editor for Outlook, the animated emoticons do not animate while you are composing your email. However, the animated emoticons will play when you send the email and your email recipient reads it. To verify whether you have Word set as the default email editor for Outlook, go to Outlook's Tools menu and select Options>Mail Format. If there is a check mark next to "Set Word as default email editor," then Word is enabled as the default email editor for your outgoing Outlook emails.

How do I use Hot Key settings to insert an emoticon in my emails?

Every emoticon in PowerPlugs: Emoticons has a standard three-key combination "hot key" or keyboard shortcut associated with it. You can set your own or simply use the default setting. Simply enter the three-key combination from from the keyboard while you are composing your email(s) to automatically insert a graphical emoticon.

How do I change Hot Key settings?

• Open the Hot Key Settings dialog box.
• Select the emoticon that you want to change hot key settings and highlight the associated characters for that specific emoticon.
• Type in the characters you want to use for that particular emoticons.
• Click Apply when you finish with the process.

How do I reset the Hot Keys to default settings?

• Open Hot Key Settings dialog box.
• Click the Reset button. This will automatically restore all default settings.

Why don't the emoticon graphics show up when the message is printed?

When Microsoft Outlook prints a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) message with pictures from the Internet, the pictures may not print correctly or may not print at all. Print Preview is also not available for HTML emails. These limitations are present in Microsoft Outlook even without PowerPlugs: Emoticons installed.

The omission of graphics when printing generally occurs after you install Internet Explorer version 5.5 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or Internet Explorer version 6.0. Microsoft suggests obtaining the latest service pack for Internet Explorer 5.5 or the supported fix for Internet Explorer 6.0. You will also need the supported fix for Outlook.

Another effective way to print a message with accompanying graphics is to set Word as your email editor, and then print the message from Word. Take the following steps to change your settings:

Why is there an automatic message footer at the bottom of every message I send?

Messages that include emoticons that were created with the free trial version of PowerPlugs: Emoticons will automatically include a small link to the PowerPlugs: Emoticons home page, to help spread the word about this great new line of Outlook emoticons. This link appears in a footer at the very bottom of your messages. The purchased version of PowerPlugs: Emoticons does not insert this link. If you're interested in using PowerPlugs: Emoticons without the automatic message footer, you can order one or more volumes by clicking an "Add to cart" button below.

How long does the free trial version of PowerPlugs: Emoticons last?

The free trial version of PowerPlugs: Emoticons expires 10 days after you first use it.

How can I get more emoticons styles?

Currently, PowerPlugs: Emoticons contains twelve animated emotions and sixteen still emotions based upon four categories. And, of course, you can then select from a palette of twelve colors and three different sizes, all of which adds up to broad range of emoticions to choose from.

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