"I'm trying to wrap my head around the concept of quantum computing. Can you explain it in plain English, and tell me if this is something that's available now, or if it's still in the concept phase?"...
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......
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?...
"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?"...
"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?"...
"I'm a little confused about all the different memory cards that are available for digital cameras and video cams. The memory card I bought for my digital camera is not recognized by my computer. Can you demystify this for me?"...
Picasa is a free photo editing and management application offered by Google. It offers many photo editing, organization and online storage features that photo buffs will find useful. Here's my review of Picasa......
"I want to create a backup of my photos and home videos, but I have several gigabytes of data, so I want to put it all on DVD discs. Can you recommend any free DVD burning software?"...
If you need to access your own computer or someone else's from a remote location, you probably already know about GoToMyPC, which is often advertised on radio and TV. GotoMyPC's remote access service costs $20/month. But did you know that...
When you open Explorer in Windows 7 you will see a tree of "Libraries" in the left sidebar. Libraries are a new feature of Windows 7 and may cause confusion among users of earlier versions. But Libraries are quite handy,...
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......
"My computer is showing signs of age, but I can't afford a new one. What hardware upgrades do you recommend to improve speed and usability for those with older computers?"...
There's a certain segment of the population that is addicted to gizmos and gadgets. They're always waiting for the Next Big Thing. Those people are anxiously awaiting November 6, 2009, when the Motorola/Verizon Droid smartphone will be released to the...
"I'm moving to Windows 7, but I'm worried about transferring all my existing programs to the new system. I would be a major hassle to re-install all my programs… what do you recommend?"...
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......
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......
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 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?"...
"I'm interested in learning about precious gems. But most of the sites I see are just online jewelry stores. Can you recommend any sites where I can get high quality information on gems and minerals?"...
"I hear radio ads for Stamps.com, promising the ability to print postage stamps at home, and $100 in bonuses. Is Stamps.com internet postage legit, or a scam?"...
"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...
"I've been hearing the word 'Android' quite often these days, in connection with mobile phones and other devices. What is Android, and why should I care about it?"...
So you've decided that the time is right to join the BlackBerry revolution, but there are so many options. RIM offers 5 different Blackberry models -- Pearl, Curve, Storm, Bold and Tour -- so let's take an in-depth look to...
"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?"...
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......
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of August 17th, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
What is a netbook? And what's the difference between a netbook and a laptop? You may be standing in a store asking yourself these questions soon. Here are the answers......
"Sometimes my computer acts weird when it's been running for several days. I've heard about something called 'electron buildup' but I'm not sure I should take it seriously. Can electronic devices really suffer from fatigue if they're on too long?"...
If you do everything just right, you'll end up with a perfect hard drive. Your operating system will be bug-free; your applications will play well together; your data will be neatly organized in folders; everything will be just perfect. And...
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...
Here's your Geekly Update for the week of August 3rd, presented in small bytes. Get the scoop on gadgets & hardware, security patches, browser news, social networking, web tech and search engines. Read on......
A gravatar (Globally Recognized Avatar) is an image that appears alongside your name when you post on blogs and forums. If you're an active participant in online discussions, get a gravatar and get globally recognized! Here's how......
"I've heard good things about Windows 7, and I want to upgrade my XP system as soon as I can. What's the best way to move from Windows XP to Windows 7?"...
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......
"A huge chunk of my life social life is stored on Facebook and Twitter. What would happen if I could no longer access that information? Is there a way to backup my social network postings?"...
I downloaded the Windows 7 beta and have been trying out all the cool new desktop customization features. Here are some of the highlights......
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...
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Using Twitter doesn't automatically make you cool. But if you put a bunch of these awesome Twitter tools, apps and addons to work for you, the chances of achieving a higher standing in the twittosphere are greatly increased......
"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?"...
There is almost nothing worse than losing important files when you experience a finger fumble, brain freeze, or computer crash. But never fear, there are tools that can help you recover those lost files, and some of the best ones...
Did you know that you can load up a flash drive with your favorite programs and run them on any computer, without installing, directly from the portable drive? Here's the scoop on portable apps......
"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...
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......
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......
"Will I be able to upgrade my XP system to Windows 7? I'm hoping I don't have to upgrade to Vista in order to install Windows 7. What's the scoop?"...
"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?"...
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...
"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?"...
"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....
It's been a year since I compared the newest Zune and the iPod. So let's see what's new with Microsoft's music player and if it is a force that Apple has to reckon with for the holiday season and beyond......
Saving money is something that everyone is interested in, and because of this many sites have been created to help shoppers find good deals on the products they want to buy. Here's the scoop on the best price comparison websites,...
"I'm hearing the term Cloud Computing more and more. One friend told me that it means computers will soon not need a hard drive. Is that correct?"...
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...
"I'm considering buying one of those netbook mini-laptops for my daughter. Can they do everything that the larger laptops do? Can you recommend any specific mini laptop models?"...
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 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...
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...
"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...
"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?"...
"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?"...
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...
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...
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....
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...
"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."...
"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..."...
"My hard drive failed last week, and my latest backup was a year old. So I lost pretty much ALL of my important files. Can you recommend an AUTOMATIC backup that just works?"...
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'm worried about the worth of my house in today's economy. The mortgage crisis is wreaking havoc on property values. What online tools can you suggest to help determine the value of my home?"...
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......
Is Linux ready for the masses? Or is it still a geeks club? The new Ubuntu Linux Gutsy Gibbon puts a little more polish on the Linux desktop and moves the focus toward everyday users. Check out the new features...
Printers just keep getting smaller. No longer do you have to drag your clunky inkjet printer on a business trip, or hustle home to print photos from your digital camera. Small inkjet printers are stow-and-go so you can catch the...
"I'm looking for a color laser printer that's reliable and fast. A price tag under $500 would be nice... what do you recommend?"...
"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?"...
Are you a camera klutz? Don't know the difference between an f-stop and a fill flash? Then today's new automated digital cameras are just perfect for you. Just point and click, they do the rest. Here are my picks for...
"I'm trying to find some old friends from high school. What are the best people search tools on the Internet? Free is nice, but I'll pay for a really good people finder tool if it can save me a lot...
"I've heard reports about people making pretty good money inside Second Life. How can I get started in the business of making money for (virtually) nothing?"...
"Can you explain what Mechanical Turk is all about? A friend of mine uses it to make money by doing small jobs, but I've heard some people say it's more like slave labor. What's the deal with Mechanical Turk?"...
"I'm thinking about selling some stuff on eBay to make a little money for the holidays, but my previous attempts to sell on eBay haven't worked out very well. Can you give me some power tips for eBay sellers to...
"I read on your site that I can retrieve my Myspace password by sending a salute. It sounds crazy... does it really work?"...
"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?"...
"My computer is making a loud noise that sounds like a fan going bad. A friend told me I should replace the power supply. Can you give me some tips on installing a new power supply?"...
Thanks to online maps, there's no excuse for getting lost on the Internet. These excellent online mapping tools will get you from one place to another, and some are interactive. The new breed of online maps are aware of businesses,...
Google Pack is a collection of useful software programs that have been gathered together by Google. It was originally designed to accompany new computer packages as a starter set of productivity, office and entertainment software, but anyone can download the...
HP is known for its versatile line of business and home office equipment. One of their latest releases is the HP OfficeJet Pro L7780 All-In-One. This office machine operates as both a color and a black and white printer, copier,...
Do you have a clean hard drive? If you're selling a computer or discarding a hard drive, you'll want to clean off your personal files first. Or maybe you're getting that annoying "low disk space" message. Don't ignore it, or...
"I'm a volunteer who creates lots of newsletters and presentations. Where can I find free clip art, stock photos and drawing tools to spice up my work?"...
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...
Laptops are a great option for people who need to compute on the move. In the past, laptops were bulky, heavy and slow. But today, laptop technology has advanced and today's models are fast, light and offer nearly the same...
"I have photos, MP3s and some Word documents on my hard drive. How can I share my hard drive online so that just certain people can access my files? My colleagues have Internet access but we do not share a...
"Is it possible to print over the Internet? Sometimes I'm working at home and would like to print directly to my office printer. Both computers are online, so it seems like it should be possible to print over the Internet....
"I've switched from Myspace to Facebook because I was unhappy with the privacy controls there, and I've been told that Facebook lets you control this much better. Would you please go over the Facebook privacy settings and recommend which ones...
"I was told that I should have a Firewire cable to transfer videos from my camcorder to my computer. I have USB connectors on my PC, is that the same thing, or can the Firewire plug in to that?"...
"Our computer is three years old, and my teenager says it's obsolete. He wants us to buy a new computer with more speed, more memory, etc. Can you give me some pointers on how to determine if I really need...
Peekyou is a new website that pulls together information about people from a variety of sources. You can use PeekYou to help other people find your website, blog, profile, photos or other info. And oddly, you may already have a...
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...
If it hasn't happened yet, be sure that it will... you're working away on an important project and the computer freezes. You reboot, but instead of the familiar startup screen, you black screen with one of these ominous messages: DISK...
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...
Ubuntu Linux 7.04 (Feisty Fawn), was recently released, and from installation to every day use, this version is the best so far. Read on to see what's new in this release for diehard Linux users and tire kickers, too......
"I take a lot of pictures with my digital camera, but the photo editing software that came with the camera is pretty lame. I looked into Adobe Photoshop but WOW it's expensive! Are there some good photo editors that are...
GPS systems are useful for finding your way around, but choosing the navigation system that's right for you might be just as challenging as traveling without one. Here are some guidelines on the best GPS systems so you don't get...
Devoted fans of Macs and PCs have been in heated debate for years, even before those "I'm a Mac", "I'm a PC" commercials ever appeared. Let's set aside the question of which camp is "right" and focus on the reasons...
"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?"...
It's happened to all of us at some point. One stray mouse click, and poof! You've deleted a file that you did not mean to. But must it really be the final goodbye to that file? Happily, there are tons...
"I'm looking for a camcorder, but the selection and features are overwhelming. What's a good model for someone who wants decent quality without spending a pile of money?"...
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......
Still can’t decide if you are iPodish or Zunish? Let’s look at some facts and figures to help you decide whether an iPod or a Zune is your best choice for a portable music player......
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 social bookmarking, and how is it different from a regular bookmark or favorite in my browser?"...
"I have my Myspace page set to private, but an ex-friend has gotten access to all of my Myspace friends that are on my page, and is emailing them. I asked him about this and he told me that he...
"I want to install the hard drive from my old computer as the secondary hard drive of my new computer. The new computer is an HP with a SATA hard drive. My old hard drive is a Seagate Ultra ATA/100....
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...
"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...
"Help, I forgot the password for my Myspace account! Now I can't login and people think I'm dissing them because I can't reply to their comments. How do I get the password, or have it reset so I can login?"...
"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...
"When I click on the Windows Start button it jumps up and down like a jack in the box. Even worse are arrowed pop-up boxes, as it takes clicking on the arrow 4 or 5 times, before it calms down...
"My daughter has two Myspace accounts. One gives out too much personal information and we want to delete it. But we don't remember the password and we no longer have access to the email account she used to create the...
"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."...
"Emailing a group of 4 or 5 JPG photos from the 'My Pictures' folder is no problem. But Emailing a group of 50 seems to clog the system for ever and nothing actually sends. The pictures are taken with my...
"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?"...
"My kids are using something called LimeWire to download music and videos. They call it a a P2P file sharing program. Can you explain what that means, and how safe it is to use?"...
"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...
To say that digital cameras have revolutionized photography would be an understatement. It's not just the way we take pictures that has changed, but photo printing, photo storage and photo sharing have all gone digital as well. Free digital photo...
"When I go to My Computer the CDROM and DVD icons are gone. They were there yesterday, and working fine. It seems like this happened after I removed some CD burner software. Now I can't install anything from a CDROM,...
"I want to take a screenshot of my screen and save it in a graphics file, so I can email it to a friend. Do I need to purchase or download special software to do this?"...
"I got a warning from a friend who told me not to use the Google Desktop program. He says it will secretly make copies of my personal files and send them to Google's own servers, and from there they could...
"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...
So you have a Myspace profile... big deal, so do 70 million other people. What will set yours apart from all the others? Myspace Graphics! Here's how to add graphics to your Myspace profile......
If you are a U.S. citizen and plan to travel outside the United States, you'll most likely need a passport. Recently I found this out the hard way. I arrived at Newark airport bound for Jamaica, and ended up in...
Are teens putting themselves at risk by posting too much personal information on Myspace? Is Myspace a danger to kids that should be tightly controlled or shut down?...
"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"...
MySpace is a popular online community that lets you meet and interact with your friends, your friends' friends, and all of their friends. You can use it to share photos, public or private journals, and build a network of mutual...
"Help! I downloaded a program that was supposed to remove spyware from my computer. But now I'm getting even MORE popups and my system freezes at random intervals. I tried to uninstall but can't find a way to get rid...
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...
Sooner or later, something terrible will happen to your hard drive. That's not a very happy thought, but the good news is you can survive a hard drive failure with only minimal inconvenience -- if you back up your files....
"Once upon a time, I had to drop off my kids at the airport. It's a 90 minute drive, or at least it's SUPPOSED to be a 90 minute drive. Without heaping too much embarrassment on myself, let's just say...
"When I buy a new computer, how do I transfer everything from the hard drive on my old computer? I enjoy the Tourbus and appreciate all the information you provide." If you bought a new computer, or just a new...
"I accidentally deleted a picture from my photos file. How do I find and recover it?"...
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,...
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