Here's your Geekly Update for the week of August 24th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
"My hard drive was making a clicking sound, and now it won't start up at all. Should I try to fix it myself, or send it to a hard drive repair service?"...
The Internet is at once a gold mine and a cesspool, so how can you find the helpful, authoritative information you need? Check out my list of the best free online reference and research tools......
Google Sky is a virtual planetarium that is a part of the Google Earth software, which allows you to explore the cosmos from the comfort of your own PC. Read on to learn what you can discover with this and...
"I've read about the '$200 XO Laptop' that's being promoted by the One Laptop Per Child organization. I think it's great that these will be given to children in poor countries, but is it possible to buy an XO laptop...
Calling all cats, dogs, birds, furry friends and those who love them... here are a list of the best websites for and about pets. We'll cover pet health, training tips, travelling with Fido & Fluffy, and other cool pet sites...
"I've read your articles about the best sites for public school students. But my children are young and I'm considering home schooling for them. Can you recommend any sites with good resources for homeschooling families?"...
It’s back-to-school time again... parents breathe a sigh of relief and students groan under the load of spiffy new backpacks. Of course you want to help you child succeed in school, so here are some sites that will inspire kids...
Back to school time seems to sneak up on us each year, but with the assistance of the Internet it is easier than ever for teachers to formulate lesson plans or spice up the ones they already have....
Videoconferencing, once primarily used for long distance business meetings, is becoming more accessible. Got a webcam? Here's how you can start videoconferencing on the web......
With hundreds of cell phones on the market you can narrow down your choices by first deciding what features you need or want. Read on for a handy guide to selecting the cell phone that's right for you......
"What is social bookmarking, and how is it different from a regular bookmark or favorite in my browser?"...
"I'm a long-time computer user, almost 80 years young, but I'm no expert at Internet searching. Can you point me to some sites that are especially useful to senior citizens?"...
"My school has banned Myspace, so we can't access it from any computer in the school. They are also making new rules about what we can post on our private Myspace profiles. One kid got suspended for criticizing the principal...
"I know there are plenty of websites where I can go to find the weather conditions. But can I get my local weather forecast delivered automatically to my desktop or inbox every morning?"...
"As a parent with young children, I worry that there are so many dark alleys on the Internet for kids to wander into. Can you recommend some GOOD sites and offer any help on keeping kids safe online?"...
"I understand that once I'm logged in to my Myspace account, I can search for people that meet certain criteria. For example, I may want to search for guys over 40 within 60 miles of my city that have "softball"...
Looking for some challenging word play, or a little mindless diversion? Here are a bunch of websites where you can play online web-based games right in your web browser. Most of them are programmed with Shockwave, Flash or Java so...
I often get mail from people who misunderstand or fear browser cookies, so I've written a a guide that tells you everything need to know about these tasty little critters. Read on for a closer look at the good, the...
My youngest daughter learned phonics and reading skills on my lap at the age of three, then went on to read every book and encyclopedia in the house. We had to go to yard sales, just to keep up with...
Nicholas Negroponte has a dream... to provide a laptop with internet access to hundreds of millions of children in developing countries around the world. Negroponte's "One Laptop Per Child" is a non-profit group that has been working for several years...
"I know that Linux is an alternative to the Microsoft Windows operating system, but when and where did it originate, and why is it free?"...
According to a survey conducted at the Aunty Spam site, the worst problem on the Internet is stupid users. More than 600 respondents chose from among spam, spyware, phishing, identity theft, hacking, viruses, stupid users, and lost emails....
I have an unorthodox strategy for dealing with computer viruses. It doesn't involve the use of firewalls or anti-virus software. But if everyone understood the simple virus safety tips I'll outline here, the virus writers would get very bored very...
For best results, use just ONE or TWO keywords. This search engine looks for all words in any order. To search for an exact phrase, enclose the phrase in quotes. You may also use AND, OR, and NOT keywords to specify boolean expressions. For example:
"format drive"
spyware OR virus
phone NOT cell