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,...
"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...
"When I start my computer, I always get some sort of 'error in registry' message. Things seem to work okay after that, but it makes me wonder if there is a problem that should be corrected. Will a registry cleaner...
"Often I compose a letter in Word, then paste the text into an email. But all the formatting (and sometimes images) are lost when my friends view it. Can I somehow capture in a file, exactly what WOULD appear on...
"I work in a busy office, and often the fax machine is a major source of frustation and lost productivity. I'm no geek, but it sounds like a central fax server would save time and money. Can you get me...
Office Web Apps is Microsoft's answer to Google Docs and other online office apps. Even if you don't have MS Office installed on your computer, you will be able to create, edit, save, and share Office documents with other people...
So you were working on that big presentation for the boss, when suddenly the power went out and your computer shut down. And when you restarted the computer and ran your software it said "Cannot open file; file corrupt" or...
"I tried to run System Restore and got this error message: 'System Restore did not complete successfully. Your computer's files and settings were not changed.' Uggh. Why does this happen, and what can I do about it?"...
System Restore is a great feature in Windows that lets you roll back the clock on system changes. Have you ever wondered how System Restore affects your computer's resources, performance and what's really going on behind the scenes? Read on......
"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?"...
"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?"...
"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?"...
"I don't have a fax machine. Is it possible to send a free fax by email?"...
"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?"...
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......
"I have to deal with a lot of PDFs, and Adobe Reader just takes too long to open. Are there any good, free alternatives for PDF viewing?"...
"I'm concerned about threats to my privacy while using my home computer. Can you recommend any good tools to help me use my computer and navigate the web safely, without compromising my privacy?"...
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......
When I was a kid, research meant spending hours in the library, poring over dusty tomes, making notes on index cards, and then trying to organize it all. Today the wealth of information on the Internet can be tapped, annotated,...
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...
"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've seen commercials for Magic Jack, a device you can plug into your computer for really cheap phone service. It sounds too good to be true, so... is there a catch or is Magic Jack a scam?"...
"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....
"I've heard conflicting stories on the effectiveness of registry cleaners. Do they really help? If so, which registry cleaner do you recommend?"...
"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...
So you found the coolest video on YouTube, and you want to download it to your computer. But how do you download YouTube videos? There's no obvious way on the YouTube site, but there are some easy ways to download...
"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...
Gmail has been my favorite web-based email service for several years, and one of the things I like is that they're always adding new features and experimenting with various options to make it easier to use. Have you heard what's...
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?...
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...
"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..."...
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...
"Microsoft Word is so expensive... are there free alternatives? I'd really like a full featured web-based word processor that allows me to access and store documents online, instead of my hard drive."...
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...
Apple's newest operating system, released in the Fall of 2007, is Mac OS X Leopard. Like it's feline namesake, this OS is slick and sleek and features all the multimedia bells and whistles Apple users have come to expect. Since...
"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 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 just read that Firefox 3 is now available. What new features does it have, and should I upgrade now, or wait a while?"...
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...
"There's so much happening with computers and technology. How do you keep up with all the latest cool stuff without getting information overload?"...
"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...
"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...
It’s sometimes difficult these days to differentiate between science fiction and fact, because the two worlds often borrow ideas from each other. If you've ever read Alfred Bester's classic 1956 sci-fi thriller "The Stars My Destination", or Ray Bradbury's space...
I love science, especially offbeat and weird science. During my Internet travels I've come across some amazing resources-- some informative, some strange, but all of them fascinating. Here then, are my top picks in the Weird Science category......
"I recently upgraded to Microsoft Office 2007, and I have a problem. When I save a document or spreadsheet in an Office 2007 program, other people cannot open it. It seems the file is incompatible with other versions of Office....
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,...
Instant Messaging (IM) services allow you to connect directly with other computer users and engage in text, audio or video conversations. Unlike email, blogs or chat rooms, instant messaging provides real time one-to-one conversations. Here's the scoop on the most...
"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."...
Why choose between Windows and Mac? Now you can run BOTH operating systems side-by-side on your Mac desktop. Here's the scoop on how to run Windows on your Mac......
"Hey Bob, what's a podcast? Is this some kind of broadcast just for people with iPods?"...
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've been using Netflix to rent movies by mail, which is okay, but with high-speed connections so common now, why can't I just download movies I want to watch from the Internet?"...
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...
"I have lots of music in WMA (Windows Media Audio) format but I want to convert it to MP3 for my iPod. How can I convert WMA to MP3?"...
"I just got a new computer but it doesn't have Microsoft Word. And the Microsoft Office package is WAY expensive... are there any good alternatives for cheap or free office software?"...
"I'm confused about upgrading to Windows Vista. There are so many options, prices, and new features. Which ones are really important, and is Vista ready for prime time?"...
"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...
"I purchased videos on iTunes, but I can't play them on my video player, because they are in some 'protected' M4V format that only works on iPods. How can I convert iTunes videos to MPEG or WMV format so I...
"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?"...
If you're a stock market investor, there lots of great resources on the Net that will help you keep tabs on your stock portfolio, keep up with the latest market news, do company research, and even do your trading online....
"This PurityScan software is driving me crazy with popups. Spyware Doctor claimed to remove it, but after a restart it was back. Adaware and other spyware removal programs couldn't even detect it. Can you help me remove PurityScan from my...
"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?"...
"My friends often call or email and ask computer questions that are hard to answer without actually sitting in front of their computer. I've heard radio commercials for a product that lets you control another computer over the Internet. But...
"I'm having trouble starting up my Windows XP system. A friend told me to run the Recovery Console from the bootup screen, and then enter some commands. But I don't see a Recovery Console option when I turn on the...
"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?"...
"My daughter is 12 years old and I just found out she has a Myspace account with some stuff that's not appropriate. The account was deleted, but I want to make sure she has no access to Myspace in the...
"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....
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......
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?"...
"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...
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...
"How can I backup my Outlook Express emails and address book? I tried the Export function but that doesn't work. I can't even drag and drop from the Inbox folder to a diskette or CDROM. Help!"...
Seems like everybody, and everything, is getting connected to the Internet. Have you heard about Internet Telephony? If you have high- speed Internet service, you may be able to save on telephone charges by connecting the phone to your modem...
"I've purchased a bunch of music from iTunes and have enjoyed listening to them on my computer. But my portable music player is not an Apple iPod, so I can't take my songs with me. Is there any way I...
Let's face it... your old VHS tapes with treasured family memories won't last forever. Even if the VCR doesn't eventually jam and eat the tape, a VHS recording uses fragile magnetic tape that degrades over time -- whether you watch...
Back in 1995-96 I worked for BoardWatch Magazine, covering the world of Bulletin Board Systems and the fledgling Internet. One of my favorite parts of that job was interviewing prominent netizens of the day. Some may boast about being self-made...
"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."...
"When I use the 'Save As' feature in Microsoft Word to save a document as a web page, the resulting HTML is a bloated mess. Is all that formatting stuff really needed? If not, is there a way to get...
I keep hearing about RSS, XML and RSS feeds. I have only a vague idea of what they are, but then people start talking about RSS aggregators, and I get really confused. What are they talking about and why would...
"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?"...
Suddenly Explorer can no longer display thumbnails. Except for .bmp files all I get is black line box with the blue E -- NOT a thumbnail of the .jpg or .gif file. Short of FORMAT what can I change to...
"I love your site and your Tourbus Newsletter! I would like to know how a virus propagates over a network? If you get a virus on one computer - do other users on the network have to do anything to...
After the last big security patch on my XP system, I find that I can no longer save files with any name other than the name the file has when I open it. For example, if I open a blank...
"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...
"I used the MS fax program in Windows XP for sending faxes on my telephone line. After installing SP2 updates, the program doesn't work. The fax console reports All fax printers are inaccessible and I also get a Microsoft Shared...
Is your computer running slower than usual? Has your browser's start page been hijacked? Having trouble reaching your favorite search engine? Popups driving you crazy? Most likely your computer is infested with spyware, the cockroaches of the digital age....
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...
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