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Geekly Update March 9
Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
What is the Apple iPad?
After months of rumor and hype unrivaled since Windows Vista was conceived, Apple finally revealed the final form of its iPad tablet computer on Wednesday, January 27, 2010. What's it all about, and what does it mean to you?...
Geekly Update January 26
Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Backup Software
"Do I really need backup software? Hard drives are so much more reliable now than years ago, so a good drive should last longer than the useful lifespan of a computer. Right?"...
Geekly Update January 19
Here's your Geekly Update for this week, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
YouTube to MP3 Converter
YouTube is one of the most popular sites on the Web, and a very useful one. You can find a video or audio file of almost any song or subject on YouTube, and upload your own creations to share with...
Digital Picture Frames
"I want to give my mother a digital picture frame, but she's a senior citizen and not so tech savvy. What do you recommend that works well and is easy to use?"...
Geekly Update November 9
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of November 9th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Backup Your Mobile Phone
"Recently I lost my phone, and along with it, all my contacts, music, text messages and apps. It's been expensive and time consuming to reconstruct everything, so I'm looking for a way to back up all the data on my...
Geekly Update October 20
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of October 20th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Geekly Update October 5
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of October 5th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Palm Pre Versus iPhone
"I'm a Sprint customer, and thinking about buying a new smartphone. I like the iPhone, but it's only on AT&T. Sprint's Palm Pre also looks good, but how does it stack up to the iPhone?"...
Finding Lyrics
I've heard that when a song gets stuck in your head, it's because your brain is trying to remember the words. So where do you go when you just have to have the lyrics to that song that's driving you...
Can My Boss See What I Do Online?
"Like most people, I do a little personal web browsing at work. But I'm wondering... Can my boss see what websites I visit?"...
Geekly Update September 21
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of September 21st, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Google Results By Date And Time
"I'm doing some Google searches for news stories that happened several years ago. But all the top results are for the most current or most 'popular' pages on my keywords. Can I tell Google limit my search results to specific...
Which Online Backup Service Is Best?
If you listen to talk radio, you've probably heard online backup services like Carbonite, Mozy and iDrive advertising incessantly. Let's take a look at each of them, to see what they offer......
Geekly Update September 2
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......
Upgrade Vista to Windows 7
"I'm currently running Vista on my home computer, but I've heard that Windows 7 is faster. Should I upgrade my Vista to Windows 7, or leave well enough alone?"...
Geekly Update August 10
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of August 10th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Music For The Blackberry
"I recently got a Blackberry, and am having trouble figuring out the best way to listen to music on this device. What do you recommend for music on the Blackberry?"...
File Sharing Student Fined $675K
Joel Tenenbaum is a grad student at Boston University who was sued by the Recording Industry Association of America for activities on file sharing sites. Tenenbaum was found guilty and has been ordered to pay damages to RIAA in the...
Geekly Update July 27
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of July 27th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Geekly Update July 21
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of July 20th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Geekly Update - July 6
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of June 29th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Wireless PC to TV
Wouldn't it be great to pipe whatever is on your computer screen directly to your big-screen TV? Now you can wirelessly send YouTube videos, computer games and movies from your PC screen directly to your television screen. Even browse the...
Free Online Storage
"I'm running out of storage space on my hard drive. On a tight budget, I'm considering using a free online storage tool to offload some files. But which ones do you recommend?"...
Free Online Research Tools
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......
Internet Radio
Internet radio allows you to listen to online radio stations on your computer or on a mobile device. But of course, the Internet is much cooler than a radio, so Internet radio lets you do all kinds of things you...
Free Apps for iPhone and iPod Touch
"I just got an iPhone and the number of free apps in the App Store is a bit overwhelming. I also find it hard to navigate through the apps. Can you recommend ten must-have free apps for iPhone?"...
Wireless HDTV
It's becoming a wireless world, and now that world is extending to the realm of HDTV. If you're tired of the clutter of cables going to and from your HD television screen, read on to learn how to wirelessly connect...
Free Backup Solutions
"I know I need to backup my computer, because I've experienced a hard drive failure in the past. But I don't have a lot of money to spend on backup software. Are there any good FREE backup software programs, or...
Is Pirate Bay Sinking?
Pirate Bay is one of world's largest facilitators of illegal downloading. But now the owners are facing the prospect of huge fines and jail time. Is this the end of the line for online video, music and software pirates?...
What is TiVo?
What's the big deal with TiVo? Is it just a glorified VCR, or is it really a revolutionary new way to watch television? Get the scoop on TiVo here......
Portable DVD Players
"We want to buy a portable DVD player for the car, since we have kids a travel often. What features should we look for, and do you have any reviews of the best portable DVD players?"...
Internet Connected HDTVs
The next wave in television evolution has arrived in the form of the marriage between Internet connectivity and HDTVs. Many television manufacturers have joined this trend by releasing their latest broadband HDTV models with the ability to connect directly to...
Terabyte Hard Drives
"I've been thinking about buying a terabyte hard drive. Right now I have a 500GB drive. Are the terabyte drives as fast and reliable as smaller drives?"...
How to Buy a Computer
"I teach senior citizens in a community based free computer lab. They often ask what to look for when buying a computer, what software they need for email, basic Internet usage, word processing, etc. Many are on a limited budget....
Prepaid Cell Phones
"I've noticed that Verizon, AT&T and other mobile phone providers are offering pre-paid cell phone with pay-as-you-go billing. I like the idea of not having a long-term contract, and I only need my cell phone for emergencies. Would a pre-paid...
Great Gadget Gifts
Are you going nuts over the selection of electronics that are available for this holiday season? There are so many choices -- cell phones, music players, PDAs, video cams and more. Read on for my personal recommendations to help you...
Is Free Wifi Illegal?
"Sometimes when I'm away from home, I'll park my car, fire up the laptop and get online with a free unsecured wireless signal. Is this legal?"...
Five Geeky Gadgets
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...
Voyager Versus iPhone
"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."...
iPhone Jailbreak Applications
"I've heard that there are a bunch of really cool programs that will run on my iPhone, but it requires something called a jailbreak. How is that done? Is it safe, and will it void my iPhone's warranty?"...
DRM-Free Music
"I've run into problems trying to transfer my iTunes music to an MP3 player. I am told that the problem is DRM, some sort of copy protection built into the songs. Are there ways to get around this? Can I...
Video Hosting
If you've already decided that you want to find stardom on YouTube, good luck with that. With over 100 million videos watched every day, chances are mighty slim that you will be a star on that site. Let’s explore the...
Cheap Desktop Computers
"I'm looking for a basic entry-level desktop computer to give to a high-school student as a Christmas gift. What do you recommend in the budget category that can handle web surfing, email and word processing?"...
What is Joost?
"I've heard that Joost offers free online TV, but I'm afraid it's either a scam, or something illegal that will get me in trouble. I don't want to end up like the woman in Minnesota who was fined $200,000 for...
The New Zune
"Just a few days ago I was wondering whatever happened to the Zune. Now I'm seeing commercials for the new improved Zune. Is it worth another look as an iPod alternative?"...
What is a Mashup?
"I hear the term mashup being used to describe certain websites, but I'm not sure what it means. Can you explain what a mashup is, and where the word comes from?"...
Top Ten Sites for Homeschoolers
"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?"...
Top 10 Sites for Students
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...
Top Ten Sites for Teachers
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....
Sued for Searching?
I hear from readers often who are worried about the possible repercussions of downloading music and movies from file-sharing sites or P2P services such as LimeWire and Bittorrent. Now there's something new to worry about for users of P2P search...
Free Anti-Virus Programs
"I've been using the free Norton antivirus package that came with my computer, but the subscription will expire in a few days. Are the free anti-virus programs any good? What do you recommend?"...
Ten More Tech Gadgets
Every geek needs gadgets, but even the computer novice will love these plug and play USB add-ons. Here are my latest top ten gadgets, sure to add a little fun to your desktop....
Facebook - Getting Started
Looking for an alternative to an oversaturated MySpace? Facebook is a great alternative for the college and professional set. A little more serious than MySpace, Facebook is more than just competing to see who can have the most friends. Facebook...
Downloading Ringtones
The ringtone craze started in Finland back in 1998 with a monophonic commercial ringtone service called Harmonium. The popularity of ringtones quickly spread throughout Europe and then into Asia. The U.S. was late to catch hold of this craze, however,...
Myspace and Copyrights
"Suddenly, I can no longer upload music to Myspace. The message says 'Your upload privileges have been suspended' but all copyrights are mine. Any suggestions?"...
Secure Passwords
"With identify theft so common now, I'm concerned that my passwords may not be good enough. Can you give me some tips to picking good passwords that can't be easily guessed by hackers?"...
Adding Memory
If your computer seems to stagger under the burden of your commands, responding slowly, freezing or timing you out; if working at your system feels like bicycling uphill, consider adding extra memory. Adding memory to your computer isn't so hard...
Tricking Out Firefox
Firefox is an open source web browser that is rapidly gaining in popularity - approaching 100 million users worldwide and grabbing 15 percent of the browser market from Internet Explorer. A casual user might not even notice the difference between...
Rip & Burn Basics
"I have a big music collection on CDROM discs. I'd like to get all this music on my computer and burn my own mix CDs. Can you help me get started?"...
What is Podcasting?
"Hey Bob, what's a podcast? Is this some kind of broadcast just for people with iPods?"...
What is Web 2.0?
"I keep seeing articles that mention something called Web 2.0, but they never give a good definition. What is Web 2.0? How is it different than the one Al Gore invented, and when is Web 3.0 coming?"...
Online Shopping
Have you experienced the frustration of making a purchase, only to find that very same item offered somewhere else at a lower price? Smart shoppers can eliminate this problem by using online comparison shopping tools and coupon finders before the...
Beyond Myspace
As the Myspace population passes 100 million members, the site seems to be creaking and groaning, ready to burst at the seams. With frequent outages, valid passwords being rejected, problems with music players, and comment spammers, you might be looking...
What is YouTube?
YouTube is a video-sharing website that is changing American culture. It seems that every day, some short video clip on YouTube makes headline news. Here's the story behind the phenomenal success of YouTube, and some tips on how you can...
What is Broadband?
"I see commercials on TV telling me to switch to broadband, but I'm not sure what that means. They talk about DSL lines, cable access, satellites and megabits, which further confuses me. I've had dialup access through AOL for years...
FireFox Extensions
"I switched to FireFox because I like some of the unique features it offers. I've heard people talk about Firefox extensions that sound really cool, but I'm not sure if they are safe to use, given all the concerns about...
AOL for Free?
"I read somewhere that AOL is going to stop charging for their Internet service and make AOL access free. Is that true, and if so, are there any gotchas I should now about?"...
Online Games
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...
Going Viral - Internet Classics
Ever since the Web went graphical in the early 1990's, there have been people motivated to create websites that exist only to be amusing, annoying or completely useless. And like a car wreck, we just can't keep ourselves from looking...
Best Educational Software and Technology
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...
Best and Worst Video Games
"My ten-year-old son is excited about video games, both online and offline. Like any good citizen of the planet, I want him to have fun and learn to kill aliens, but I worry about some of the graphic violence and...
Digital Music and Lyrics
Remember the good old days of Napster & Cohorts, when you could illegally download your favorite music all day long, while thumbing your nose at the greedy record companies? Ahhh, the memories......
Web Moments That Changed the World
The folks at the Webby Awards are celebrating their 10th anniversary by compiling a list of 10 Web Moments That Changed the World. Some of them I agree are significant, others are ho-hum. And certainly there are some biggies missing...
Do I need anti-virus software?
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...
Search Tips
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"format drive"
spyware OR virus
phone NOT cell