Filming or downloading video files and sharing them with friends is all the rage these days. It's easy to record a video if you have a good cell phone, a Webcam, or a portable video camera. Many cell phones will send video files to other phones. You can upload videos to YouTube or your own Web site, and send people URLs to your films. But many people are stumped when it comes to emailing a video. It really isn't that difficult…

Many people are concerned about identity theft these days, with good reason. If someone assumes your identity they can commit crimes for which you are blamed; raid your bank accounts; even ruin your employment prospects. With so much at stake, many people are paying over $20 a month for identity theft protection services. But are they wasting their money? Here's the scoop…

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"How can I know my net speed" is a common question. There are quite a few definitions of "net speed" and several free ways to test it. Here's the scoop on Internet speed tests, and why you definitely should check your speed every once in a while...

You may put a lot of work into your blog or Website, only to find someone stealing it. They call it "borrowing" and think you should be flattered. But it's theft of your intellectual property. You can guard against this form of thievery by enforcing your copyright in a Website…

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"As part of my job, I often need to find information about people using online tools. But some names are more difficult than others. Can you suggest any clever ways to find people online?"

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

Website hosting was a gold-rush business during the late 1990s, when everyone wanted a website and everyone with a spare computer in his bedroom could be a website host. Some of those bedroom businesses actually provided better website hosting services than some Fortune 500 telecommunications firms, and the former grew rapidly into today's best Web hosting sites. Here are some tips on choosing a website hosting company that fits your needs...

Many people dream of working at home online, and today many people are enticed by economic misfortune to do so. A few find new, rewarding, relaxed careers working at home online. But all too many fall victim to numerous "make $1000 a week working at home online" scams. Be careful that you don't fall for one of these...

The average email user is bombarded with over 2,000 spam messages per year, according to a consensus of spam fighters. It's become more than just an annoyance, since spam emails can also be malicious. Here's the latest info on the damage that spam can do, and how to protect your inbox...

A T1 line is a data communications connection between two points. Unlike other types of Internet connections, where many parts (packets) of many users' data share every connection, a T1 line is dedicated exclusively to the use of the parties it connects physically. A dedicated T1 line offers several benefits as part of this exclusivity. Here are some things to know when shopping for a T1 service provider...

A relatively recent malware innovation raises the stakes in computer security considerably. This technique of delivering Trojan programs is called a rootkit. Typically, a rootkit is designed to take control of the infected computer with administrator ("root") privileges, and do so without the user's awareness. That can be very dangerous, indeed. But even worse, rootkits often elude detection by mainstream anti-malware software. Here's how to remove a rootkit...

How fast is your computer's central processing unit (CPU) compared to others? That's one question that CPU benchmarking can help you answer. Another good question is whether your particular CPU is performing up to manufacturer's specs; CPU benchmarking can answer that one too. Here's how to test your own CPU…

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

You will often see references to "Quad-core technology" when looking at high-performance personal computers. Quad-core is leading-edge computing power, very fast and of course more expensive than single or dual-core processors. But what is Quad-core on a technical level? Read on to find out…

Cyber schooling - or "distance learning" as educators call it formally - is an increasingly popular educational model at all levels. Learn more about cyber schooling, virtual academies and other online schooling options for K-12 students, high school, college and beyond...

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

Spyware is a type of malicious software, distinct from viruses, Trojan horses, and other cybernasties. Spyware does no damage to your computer and does not bombard you with annoyances like popup advertisements, generally speaking. Spyware is designed to go totally unnoticed, in fact. But in the background, spyware is spying on you and reporting back to its master. Here's how to protect and defend against spyware...

Whatever people hold dear, they accessorize. There are innumerable add-ons and adornments for cars and trucks; fashion clothing; purses; and, of course, cellphone accessories. Here's the scoop on some cool cell phone add-ons, and where to find them...

Phishing is the hacker's sport of fishing for gullible victims who will click on anything, and is an ever-evolving enterprise. The bad guys are constantly coming up with new bait that looks, smells, and tastes almost exactly like the real thing. But if you bite and click on that email or URL, you may get your identity stolen; your computer may be enslaved by a spammer's botnet; or you could download a virus without knowing it. So it's a good idea to be aware of the latest trends in phishing and the most widespread snares.

Laptops are full of compromises between size, energy efficiency, and performance. The manufacturing cost of components enters into the equation, too. So if you want the best performance possible from any laptop component, you must upgrade the original component with one made by a third party. This is particularly true with graphics cards for laptops...

You can save a good deal of money by building your own computer from components. It doesn't require advanced electronics or soldering skills; everything just plugs and screws together. Your chest will swell with pride, and your friends and family will look at you in awe. Plus, you will end up with the perfect PC for you! Let's start from the core of a PC and see what's needed, where to get it, and what it costs...

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

You send an email to a friend, acquaintance, or business contact. Perhaps you ask a question in it. But you get no reply. Do you send another email asking, "Did you get the first email?" What if that annoys a potential customer? Sometimes, you can spend a lot of time wondering and even worrying about whether your email got lost or was read. How can you get an email return receipt, or delivery confirmation that an email was read?

"I'm usually very careful, but somehow I got infected with a program called AntiMalware Doctor, which is a fake security tool. Now I'm having trouble removing it. What do you recommend to get rid of this nasty virus?"

Adding more memory to your computer is usually the most cost-effective way to get a significant performance boost. But choosing the right RAM for your computer, and finding the right amount at the lowest price, is often a mysterious challenge. A memory configurator can help you get it right. Here's how...

In the past, I've written about "anonymizer" services that effectively act as a buffer between your computer and the rest of the Internet, concealing your IP address so that Web sites, email servers, and other things with which you interact cannot identify you. That is one way to protect your privacy online, but it is incomplete. With a virtual private network, your online security is greatly enhanced...

Geek accessories are rapidly overtaking power tools as the preferred gift for guys. Yes, as humanity evolves geeks are actually gaining an edge in the breeding department over cavemen. And there are plenty of girl geeks too! Odds are there’s an accessory geek on your current gift-shopping list. Here's where to find the best geek gifts and accessories...

A newly designed Web site is like a shiny clean car. It looks great but you don't know how good it really is until you test-drive it. It's very important to test the performance of your Web site before it must endure heavy traffic. In fact, it's best to test Web site performance while you are building the site, so you can optimize bottlenecks as soon as they appear. Here's how to do it...

Even when you're not looking for an online virus scanner, ads for them appear on many Web sites. Sometimes, a free virus scanner appears to pop up out of nowhere and scares you with a message like "Alert! Your PC may be infected!" What should you do? Read on...

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

Magnetic hard drives are the workhorses of mass storage. Virtually every computer has a hard drive. There are dozens of hard drive manufacturers worldwide. So it's not surprising that competition, along with technology improvements, has driven hard drive prices to all-time record lows. That's good news. But are cheap hard drives truly a bargain? Read on…

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"I've heard about 'free-to-air' satellite TV channels you can receive if you have a satellite dish. Is this true? If so, what channels can I get, and what equipment do I need, and is it legal?"

How many acres are there in 124 hectares of land? The answer might not have mattered often in the past, but today's global economy often requires conversion of measurement units from one country, culture or discpline into another's. Here's the scoop on the best online conversion tools...

If you sell anything, online or in a brick and mortar store, you really need to accept major credit cards. Few people carry much cash these days, and check fraud has become so widespread that many merchants have stopped accepting checks altogether. Most business make the majority of their sales through credit and debit cards now. Here's the scoop on getting a merchant account for your business...

Facebook faces a mutiny from its millions of users. The company has outraged, exasperated, and frightened almost every user who has paid any attention to recent changes in his or her Facebook connections and privacy settings. If you are not paying attention, you should. Here's why, and what you need to do...

"I'm the goto geek for my friends, and I just want to mention that MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) has helped me on many occasions when other anti-virus and anti-spyware apps failed to prevent or fix a malware problem. You'd be doing your readers a service to recommend this free security tool."

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"I'm a little confused about routers. Can you explain to me about wireless routers, internet routers and exactly what you can do with them?"

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

"How do I get wireless Internet access for my laptop? I just bought a new Dell laptop, and I'm having trouble getting on the Internet at home."

"The fonts and icons on my new computer are so small that I have trouble seeing them. How do I adjust or magnify my screen for easier viewing?"

"I just saw a new prepaid mobile phone service offering a 7 cents/minute rate. I currently pay about 20 cents/minute for wireless calling with Tracfone, but my monthly bill is always over $40. Now I'm wondering if I should stay with a prepaid plan, or go with a service like Cricket that offers unlimited calling for $30 a month. It's all so confusing... what is your opinion of prepaid wireless and other options?"

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

Your credit is one of your most important assets in this day and age. It's also vulnerable to identity theft; credit reporting errors; and simple misunderstandings that can damage your credit and adversely impact more than just your ability to borrow money. It's important to monitor your credit and correct any problems you can as quickly as possible. Here's how...

A laptop docking station is a powered system of ports into which a laptop computer is plugged, allowing the laptop to recharge its battery and connect to various desktop devices. A laptop docking station allows a laptop to double as a desktop computer with more resources than will fit in a shoulder bag. Learn more about connecting your laptop with a docking station...

The fashionable Apple iPad has sparked renewed interest in a neglected category of computers, the so-called "slate PC." It may surprise you to learn that, long before the iPad appeared everywhere, there have been many makes and models of this form factor. And I'm not talking about Fred Flintstone as a technology pioneer. Check out these slate PCs before you run off to the Apple store...

Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, online happenings, computer security, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on...

When the hard drive in your computer crashes and all of your digital possessions seem to disappear, have faith. Faith is the ability to not panic. It's very unlikely that all of your stuff is gone forever. Here are some tips on recovering data from crashed a hard drive...