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......
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of October 13th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, computer security, online happenings, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Many users report that Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 locks up or even crashes their entire PC, under a variety of circumstances. They want to know why. Here's the scoop......
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of September 29th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
"I'm considering LifeLock identity theft insurance, but are there other companies I should consider? And I've heard about do-it-yourself identity theft protection... is that a realistic alternative?"...
"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...
You may have heard that Google is trying to steal all the books ever written. You may also have heard that Google is going to give away all the books ever written. Is there any truth to either one of...
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of September 15th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of September 8th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
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......
"I'm concerned about my online privacy, so I want to hide my IP address. How can I do this?"...
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of July 13th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
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......
Have you heard about Wolfram Alpha? It sounds like a secret society of zoologists, but it's actually one of the coolest new search engines to come along in quite a while. Here's the scoop......
"I've heard of software, shareware, freeware and malware. And I think I know what all those things are. But what exactly is scareware?"...
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......
"What exactly is OpenDNS? I've heard that it can be used to make your Internet access faster, but I'm a little fuzzy on how it works, and if there are any gotchas I should know about."...
"Should I upgrade to Internet Explorer 8? How does it compare to Firefox, when it comes to features, speed and security?"...
"Some browsers now have a 'private browsing' mode which is supposed to eliminate your tracks while surfing the web. How well does this work in practice, and which browsers support the private browsing feature?"...
I had myself talked into buying a new phone, and was eagerly checking out the latest phones, smartphones and PDAs. But something happened on the way to the phone store......
"It seems like I get more spam than ever, and I'm not sure why. What free anti-spam tools can you recommend to help me keep spam to a minimum?"...
Perhaps you've read reports about spyware in Magic Jack, or heard claims that the company sells your private information to third parties. Here's the scoop......
"I have friends who have stopped using Internet Explorer and they're always telling me that Firefox or some other browser is better. What are my choices, and which one is best for the average internet user?"...
"What's the difference between virtual memory and real memory? And how can I add more virtual memory to my computer?"...
"I upgraded to Windows Vista on my desktop PC, and instead of speeding up, it seems to run slower than ever. Do you have any tips or tweaks to make Vista run faster?"...
Are you searching for someone? Free people search tools online can help you find college classmates, high school sweethearts, long lost relatives, even dig up facts about neighbors, potential tenants or job seekers. Here are my recommendations for the best...
"I'm confused by all the free antivirus products. I've read in some forums that Avira is the best, others claim that AVG or Avast is definitely the way to go. Which one do you recommend?"...
"I want to send a fax, but I don't have a fax machine. Can I use fax software on my computer to send or receive a fax? If so, what free fax software is available for Windows? I have a...
"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?"...
"There are so many malware scanners to choose from, when trying to protect against adware, spyware and other online threats. Which one(s) do you recommend?"...
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......
"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...
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...
"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?"...
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...
You finally got that wireless router, but the wifi signal is not so great in some parts of the house. Here's how to boost your wireless signal strength......
If you maintain a website, a content management system (CMS) can make it easier to add or update information, whether it has 10 pages or 10,000 pages. Read on to learn what a content management system can do for you,...
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...
I've already shared some of my favorite portable inkjet printers, but here is my list of photo printers that are compact, inexpensive, and perfect for family photos......
"I'd like to do a survey of visitors to my website. I need basic demographics, some multiple choice questions, and the ability to generate reports. Oh, and free is nice! What tool do you recommend?"...
"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...
Are you trying to convert iTunes music to MP3 format? Or maybe you have some "protected" WMA files that you want to convert? There are plenty of good reasons why honest people might want to use a DRM remover to...
You already know that Skype allows you to use VoIP technology to make phone calls over the Internet. Here's a look at some of the more advanced features, and how to incorporate them into your work or social life......
You've opened a Gmail account and now you can send and receive email on the web. Lots of email... 5.2 gigs and counting. But beyond all that space, Google's Gmail can give you better control over how you manage your...
"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?"...
"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...
Did you forget your Facebook password? Having trouble logging in? Or did you forget the email address for your Facebook login? Maybe your email account is not working, so you can't change your password. Or maybe it's something with a...
"My eleven year old wants a Myspace account, but I think she's a bit young for that. Are there some other sites I can encourage her to visit, with games and activities that are appropriate for pre-teen kids?"...
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....
At first glance, an inkjet printer may seem appealing because of its relatively low price tag compared to laser printers. Even though the ink cartridges often cost nearly as much as the printer, it still might make sense to buy...
"On a Myspace profile, how do I hide the location and last login? I've seen other pages like this and it seems like a good idea for extra privacy on Myspace."...
"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?"...
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...
Going online can be like taking a walk in the park after midnight. Behind every tree there may be someone getting ready to mug you. This article will tell you how to surf the web with a higher level of...
Looking for some uber-cool gadgets to trick out your personal computer? Here are my picks for the top ten gadgets, guaranteed to make everyone else in the office (or home office) jealous......
Tired of the same old search engine? In this article you'll find reviews of some new Internet search tools with all the bells and whistles......
"What is social bookmarking, and how is it different from a regular bookmark or favorite in my browser?"...
Last week I did a search for dolls (I'm a collector) and accidentally wound up visiting an adult site that sells dolls of a very different sort! Now it seems like I'm getting a lot more adult-related spam than ever....
I just did a search for my phone number on Google and was shocked at the results that popped up. It showed my full name, street address and a map of my neighborhood with a big arrow pointing to my...
Oh my... I can see the rotten tomatoes flying my way already. But I have a confession to make. I've tried Firefox on numerous occasions but I'm sticking with Internet Explorer, at least for now......
"I've heard that Windows XP will run faster if you disable something called PreFetch. Apparently Windows remembers everything you have done and, in a misguided attempt to be helpful, pre-loads all the files and links when XP boots. What's your...
"How do you put a gif or jpeg image into a comment on Myspace? I see other people leaving comments with pictures, but I don't know how."...
"I have a song on my hard drive (an MP3 music file) and I want to add this song to my Myspace profile. I don't want to use a song from the Myspace Music library, the song is already on...
"I had an anti virus program by McAfee but uninstalled because it was bogging my computer down. I now have anti spyware software, so do I still need to get an anti virus program? What is the difference between viruses...
"I added a song to my Myspace profile, but it won't play automatically. Other Myspace profiles have music that starts playing when I visit them. How can I make sure the music plays when someone views my profile on Myspace?"...
The Web is just brimming with "best of" sites. But what about the bad, the ugly and the truly awful? In the spirit of admiring the atrocious, displaying the deplorable, and highlighting the heinous, let me present you with some...
"My child is 16 and has a Myspace page. He tells me the only way to make his Myspace profile private is to set his age to 14 or 15 years old. Is there a way to set the Myspace...
"I don't have a fax machine, but I've heard that there are places on the Web that will let me send a free fax. I visited one site but they wanted my credit card to open a free trial account....
Have you ever visited a friend's Myspace profile and they had some cool music playing when the profile is displayed? Here's how you can add music to your Myspace profile......
"I have a Myspace profile, but it looks like everyone else's. Can I jazz it up with my own custom Myspace layout, colors and background image?"...
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...
Is the government or AOL planning to implement an email tax? Does your lipstick contain dangerous levels of lead? Will Microsoft send you money for forwarding an email? Do you need to add your cell phone number to a "Do...
If you use wireless Internet access in public places like Starbucks or the airport, you should take some simple precautions to make sure you're not broadcasting your passwords and other personal info to others in the vicinity......
After reading about the sounds that a dying hard drive makes in Click of Doom, long-time reader MmeMoxie sent me a link to something absolutely hilarious. It's music based on the sounds of hard drive failures......
"My PC running on Windows XP frequently restarts it self for no apparent reason. Any files or internet pages I have been working on are lost. The PC reboots to the desktop and I have to redo all my work....
Will Rogers said "Buy land... they're not making any more of it." In a way, the same is true of real estate in cyberspace. So let this be the year you get your own website, whether it be personal or...
"Task Manager shows I have 50+ processes running, and I have no idea which ones are slowing down my system. Should I regularly run SpyBot, AdAware and other freeware, or should I pay for a supposedly better program? I read...
I have Windows XP SP2, and within the past two weeks I have not been able to get into any secure (https) sites. I can get to the web page, but when I enter my userid and password, it says...
"Can someone track a user (name, home address, etc.) simply by having their email or IP address? The reason I ask is my kids play some games online, and these sites sometimes have a chat area, where the players can...
The history of computing and the story of how the Internet came to be are fascinating subjects to me. After doing some reading and research on early computers and Internet history, I've put together some excellent links that you can...
"How do I clear the list of sites visited in my web browser? There are some nosy people in my office and I don't want them to be able to see what web sites I have visited."...
A few months ago my FireFox autodownloaded a plugin called Zoomin. They then advised me that they had done this by a popup which instructed me to "click here to continue". When I clicked, the thing hacked my homepages (11...
"My Windows startup seems to be taking a long time, and once it finally stops churning, everything seems to run slower than it used to. Can you suggest any maintenance tips to make Windows XP start and run faster?"...
I just got a new computer at work. On my last one I had downloaded the google toolbar. The tech people here have now blocked it because they say it contains spyware. Is this true? It was so convenient to...
"My computer startup seems to be taking a long time. It's sometimes three or four minutes before the hard disk stops churning and I can launch a program. I'm sure it used to boot up faster -- can you suggest...
Long before the Numa Numa guy and the Star Wars Kid became the stuff of legend, the Internet was making unwitting celebrities of ordinary people. Let's meet four people who got a lot more than their 15 minutes of fame,...
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