Ask Bob Rankin

The Chrome Browser

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:54:13 +0000

Google is now in the browser business. Chrome is the name of Google's new web browser, aimed squarely at competing with Microsoft Internet Explorer. So how does Chrome differ from IE, Firefox, Safari and other browsers? Read on for details and the Chrome download link...

Continue reading The Chrome Browser
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

The Top Twenty

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:39:04 +0000

Every few months I go through the Ask Bob logs and see which articles were the most popular. Here is the current Top Twenty, ranked by readership volume...

Continue reading The Top Twenty
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Gmail - New Features

Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:05:58 +0000

Google recently added some nifty new features to Gmail, their free web-based email service. Here's a look a what's new in Gmail...

Continue reading Gmail - New Features
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Free Internet Faxing

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 19:47:39 +0000

Why use an expensive and complicated fax machine when there are so many Internet alternatives? Some even allow you to send and receive faxes online for free. Here's a roundup of free Internet fax services...

Continue reading Free Internet Faxing
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Partitioning Your Hard Drive

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 20:55:45 +0000

"I just got a new computer and I'm wondering about hard drive partitioning strategies. A friend told me to create a very small C: partition for a swap file, put Windows on the D: drive, and create several other parititions for different types of data. Is this a good idea?"

Continue reading Partitioning Your Hard Drive
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Online Photo Editing

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:40:46 +0000

"What do you recommend for quick photo editing when you're away from your own computer and you don't have PhotoShop or something similar available?"

Continue reading Online Photo Editing
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

AVG Review

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 03:41:37 +0000

If your computer safe from viruses? Without the proper protection, your computer can catch a virus faster than you can recite your email address three times. Viruses can destroy files, compromise your privacy, and make you vulnerable to identity theft. What to do?

Continue reading AVG Review
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Future Input Devices

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:39:55 +0000

We're tethered to our computers right now, but the future of input devices will give computer users a freedom that is nearly unfathomable. Can you control your computer by speaking, blinking your eyes, or waving your hand? Some of these futuristic input devices are already available...

Continue reading Future Input Devices
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

What is a Botnet?

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 02:44:54 +0000

"I've read warnings about getting caught up in a botnet, but I still don't understand the danger. Can you explain in simple terms what a botnet is, and how to avoid them?"

Continue reading What is a Botnet?
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Online Health Records

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:09:08 +0000

Recently, a few organizations have begun offering an alternative to paper documentation of health records. Would you trust your personal health records to an online company?

Continue reading Online Health Records
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Wireless Printers

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:45:41 +0000

"I'm looking for a truly wireless printer, one that can connect to my laptop with no cable, and also runs on batteries. What do you recommend for the business traveler who needs to print wirelessly?"

Continue reading Wireless Printers
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Free Inbound Faxing

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:56:36 +0000

"I occasionally need to receive an inbound fax, but I don't own a fax machine. Going to Kinko's or the local drugstore to pick up a fax is a nuisance, and nothing is private there. Is there some way to get my faxes online, but still have a real phone number that people can use to send faxes to me? Oh, and free is nice..."

Continue reading Free Inbound Faxing
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

External Hard Drive Security

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 19:06:07 +0000

"I want to backup my home computers to an external hard drive, but I'm worried about security. If the drive is lost or stolen, all my sensitive personal and financial data goes with it. Is there a way to password protect a hard drive, encrypt it, or protect it with some other security device?"

Continue reading External Hard Drive Security
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Vista ReadyBoost

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:12:43 +0000

What exactly does Vista ReadyBoost do? Is it the same as adding RAM, or is it more like a disk cache? I've read varying reports as to whether or not it really boosts performance on Vista. What do you know about ReadyBoost?

Continue reading Vista ReadyBoost
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Accessing Blocked Websites

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 18:30:25 +0000

If you are a student, employee, or part of the military, you've probably experienced the frustration of not being able to access certain websites or even your webmail. Fortunately there are some things you can do to access these blocked sites. Here's how...

Continue reading Accessing Blocked Websites
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Five Geeky Gadgets

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 19:52:46 +0000

Anyone can plug in a computer and attach a printer. But that's not all there is to being a serious computer jockey these days. Are you ready to get your geek on? Check out these five must-have gadgets to enhance your computing experience or find a great Father's Day gift...

Continue reading Five Geeky Gadgets
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Defrag Your Hard Drive

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:11:28 +0000

If you have noticed your computer running a little sluggish and slow lately, it might be time to defragment your hard drive. Your hard drive does need to be cleaned out regularly and defragmented in order to keep everything working better. Here's the why and how of defragging...

Continue reading Defrag Your Hard Drive
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

My Favorite Software

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:08:25 +0000

In the course of doing my job, I use certain programs on a regular basis. On any given day, I might be doing word processing, web design, programming, image editing, trouble shooting, and of course email and web surfing. Here are some of my favorite software applications to get the job done...

Continue reading My Favorite Software
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Do I Need a Registry Cleaner?

Thu, 29 May 2008 17:18:00 +0000

"My computer seems to get slower and slower. A friend told me I need a registry cleaner. Will that really help? If so, where can I get a good free registry cleaner to do the job?"

Continue reading Do I Need a Registry Cleaner?
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Samsung Instinct Review

Wed, 28 May 2008 18:06:03 +0000

Samsung recently introduced the Instinct at the Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association Wireless 2008 show. The Instinct was rated the top cell phone presented at this year's show by CNET. But how does this slick mobile device compare to the iPhone?

Continue reading Samsung Instinct Review
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Password Protection for Windows XP

Thu, 22 May 2008 21:13:42 +0000

"How can I password protect a file on my Windows XP system? I want to add a password so that nobody can open the file without knowing the password. I tried the Sharing and Security option, but there was no place to enter a password. There must be a way..."

Continue reading Password Protection for Windows XP
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Search Privacy

Fri, 16 May 2008 21:48:42 +0000

"I've heard that Google keeps a log of everything that people search for. If this is true, can I delete my search history? Who else is keeping track of what I search for?"

Continue reading Search Privacy
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

iPhone Accesories

Thu, 15 May 2008 20:46:29 +0000

There's no shortage of accessories out there when it comes to the iPhone. So I've compiled a list of the coolest and most useful add-ons to complement your iPhone.

Continue reading iPhone Accesories
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Bonzai - It's a New Puppy!

Mon, 12 May 2008 20:06:24 +0000

I know I'm supposed to write about computers, the Internet and nifty gadgets, but life is more than all that electronic stuff. I'm so happy with my new puppy that I've just got to show him off...

Continue reading Bonzai - It's a New Puppy!
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Is Privacy History?

Fri, 09 May 2008 17:22:52 +0000

What information about you is publicly available on the Web? In the past, only government agencies and businesses with a 'need to know' were able to access personal information. Today, Internet search engines allow almost anyone to find information about friends, co-workers, job applicants, etc. What information that YOU thought was private is available online?

Continue reading Is Privacy History?
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Upgrade to Windows XP SP3

Thu, 08 May 2008 18:41:22 +0000

"I've heard that Microsoft just released a new service pack for Windows XP. Is SP3 going to make my XP machine run faster and jump higher? Or should I avoid it? I remember the SP2 hassles... What's your take on XP SP3?"

Continue reading Upgrade to Windows XP SP3
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Voyager Versus iPhone

Tue, 06 May 2008 23:07:50 +0000

"Some people are calling the new LG Voyager a potential iPhone killer. I'm considering buying the Voyager so I'd like your take on how it stacks up against the Apple iPhone."

Continue reading Voyager Versus iPhone
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

What is Hulu?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:33:01 +0000

"I checked out Hulu and was impressed by the amount of popular TV shows available for free there. Almost seems too good to be true, so… is it?"

Continue reading What is Hulu?
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Disable Vista UAC

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:39:26 +0000

"I'm getting popups on Vista saying "Windows needs your permission to continue." Is this spyware or something I need to deal with? If it's part of Vista, can I turn this annoying 'feature' off?"

Continue reading Disable Vista UAC
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.

Ubuntu Hardy Heron

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 22:30:43 +0000

"I'm hearing good things about the latest Ubuntu Linux. Is there anything compelling enough in the latest release to save me from installing Vista on my next machine? Kinda hoping so..."

Continue reading Ubuntu Hardy Heron
Computer Questions? Ask Bob Rankin! for Free Tech Support
Free Newsletter - AskBobRankin Updates direct to your inbox.