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Should You Pay Microsoft $99 To Remove Unwanted Software?
Microsoft wants you to experience the true power, speed, and elegance of Windows – and the company will only charge you $99 to do so. That's the price of Microsoft's new Signature service, which removes third-party crapware from your PC, and promises to boost performance. Read on to find out if it's worth the money...
Continue reading "Should You Pay Microsoft $99 To Remove Unwanted Software?"...Do Those 'Speed Up Your PC' Programs Really Work?
I see commercials everywhere for products that promise to speed up my computer. Are they legit? If so, can you recommend any specific product?
Continue reading "Do Those 'Speed Up Your PC' Programs Really Work?"...Microsoft Office Alternatives
Microsoft Office is the gold standard for business productivity suites. But it can cost a lot of gold, even at today's low street prices. The Office Home and Business edition costs $200, and the Professional edition goes for $350. Fortunately, there are plenty of good alternatives to Office; many are free, and even those that do cost money cost less than Office. Here are some of the best alternative office suites...
Continue reading "Microsoft Office Alternatives"...Will Slimcleaner Optimize Your PC?
There has been a lot of buzz about Slimcleaner, a free system cleaning and optimization suite developed by Slimware Utilities. Slimcleaner has received editor's choice awards, five stars, and other high honors from a number of well-respected computer publications. But I really don't understand why. Here's my take on this free download...
Continue reading "Will Slimcleaner Optimize Your PC?"...Free Tech Support Software Tools
A well-prepared scout never goes anywhere without his trusty Swiss army knife. Similarly, you need a portable arsenal of troubleshooting tools to solve common computer problems. You never know when your laptop, or a friend's computer, may start acting up. Load up these free tech support utilities onto a USB flash drive and they'll think you're a tech support superhero!
Continue reading "Free Tech Support Software Tools"...Microsoft Word vs Google Docs
Is Google Docs a good alternative to Word? My new computer has no word processing software, and I'm thinking about just using Google's online word processor instead of spending the money on Microsoft Word. Are there are significant features I'd have to live without, or other factors to consider?
Continue reading "Microsoft Word vs Google Docs"...Why Does Free Software Exist?
I've used Open Office and other freeware programs for a long time, and I think they're brilliant. But I'm still not sure why they even exist! Can you tell me why all of this this good software is free, and what is the motivation for those who create free software?
Continue reading "Why Does Free Software Exist?"...Seven MORE Free Software Downloads
Recently, I recommended seven of my favorite free software packages, and many of you chimed in with suggestions of your own. But as I mentioned, I wasn't done; here are seven more must-have software freebies...
Continue reading "Seven MORE Free Software Downloads"...Seven Free Software Downloads
I just got a new laptop, and I want to do two things. First is to remove all the non-essential programs that came preloaded. Next, I want to load the best freeware for everday computing. I'd love to know what free software you recommend and use on your own computer.
Continue reading "Seven Free Software Downloads"...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?
Continue reading "Free Anti-Virus Programs"...Free Alternatives to Adobe Photoshop
I need to do some graphics editing and make relatively simple updates to photos. My friend is an art professional and swears by Adobe Photoshop. But the price tag is outrageous! Can you recommend some low-cost or free alternatives?
Continue reading "Free Alternatives to Adobe Photoshop"...Do Download Accelerators Really Work?
I've heard about download accelerator programs that claim to increase download speed by 300 percent or more. Are these scams, or for real? And if they can do that, how does it work? I'd like to know your advice on whether to use one or not.
Continue reading "Do Download Accelerators Really Work?"...Free PC Maintenance Tools
I know I need to defrag my hard drive every once in a while. Are there any other regular PC maintenance tasks you recommend doing on a regular basis?
Continue reading "Free PC Maintenance Tools"...Free Word Processing Software
Microsoft Word is the standard word processor of the business world. But with a list price of $140, MS Word is rather pricey for students, nonprofits, and casual writers. Here are some very capable word processor programs that are priced right for consumers - in fact, they're free...
Continue reading "Free Word Processing Software"...Microsoft Office 365
I've been hearing some buzz in online forums about a new product from Microsoft called Office 365. It sounds like an online version of Microsoft Word and other Office programs. I'm interested in your opinion of this product, and what type of users it is intended for.
Continue reading "Microsoft Office 365"...Discounts on Software
I need to purchase software for graphic design and word processing. But it's so expensive! Where can I find discounts on popular software packages?
Continue reading "Discounts on Software"...Document Management Solutions
Many businesses generate and receive documents in lots of different formats: paper, email, PDF files, graphic image files, faxes, HTML, etc. Document management solutions have never been more important, or more complex. Here's an overview of the various types of document management systems available to home users, businesses and webmasters...
Continue reading "Document Management Solutions"...Internet Meeting Software
Internet meeting software allows a group of people to interact almost as if they were in the same conference room, no matter where they are. Depending on its features, Internet meeting software may support text-only chat; audio/video conferencing; whiteboard-style presentations of graphics to all participants; and even the ability to edit or mark up other participants' presentations. What more could you want in a meeting?
Continue reading "Internet Meeting Software"...What is Virtualization?
Virtualization is a computer term you may hear often, if you're in the IT business. Small business and home computer users are exposed to virtualization rarely, if at all. But virtualization can come in handy for even casual computer users under certain circumstances, so here's a simplified explanation of the term...
Continue reading "What is Virtualization?"...Computer Repair Software
Does your computer seem to be slowing down? Does it freeze unexpectedly, or give you cryptic error messages? Do you suspect malware is hogging some of your Internet bandwidth? Computer repair software offered on many Web sites promises to fix some of these problems. But do they really work?
Continue reading "Computer Repair Software"...Change Screen Resolution
The fonts and icons on my new computer are so small that I have trouble seeing them. How do I adjust or magnify my screen for easier viewing?
Continue reading "Change Screen Resolution"...Shopping Cart Software
Some e-commerce ventures need shopping cart software, while others don't. If you sell only one product or service then you just need a buy now button. But if you plan to sell multiple items in your online store, you probably need a shopping cart. Here are some of the best options for free shopping cart software and commercial offerings as well...
Continue reading "Shopping Cart Software"...What Is Java and Do I Need It?
Many websites tell you they have a Java application to show you and you need to enable Java on your end to run it. Is Java safe? Are there any potential downsides to installing it? Read on to find out...
Continue reading "What Is Java and Do I Need It?"...What Is Picasa?
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...
Continue reading "What Is Picasa?"...Free DVD Burning Software
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?
Continue reading "Free DVD Burning Software"...Microsoft Office Web Apps
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 - all in your web browser...
Continue reading "Microsoft Office Web Apps"...Piggyback Downloads
Suddenly my web browser is cluttered with toolbars that I never asked for. I delete them, but sometimes they come back. Why is this happening, and how do I get rid of all those unwanted toolbars?
Continue reading "Piggyback Downloads"...What Is Silverlight And Do I Need It?
Whenever I go to Microsoft's website, it nags me to install a thing called Silverlight. What is Silverlight, and do I really need it on my computer?
Continue reading "What Is Silverlight And Do I Need It?"...Alternatives to Adobe Reader
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?
Continue reading "Alternatives to Adobe Reader"...Note Taking Tools
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, and organized with easy-to-use web research and note taking tools. Here's how...
Continue reading "Note Taking Tools"...Portable Apps
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...
Continue reading "Portable Apps"...Parental Control Software
I have pre-teen children who are just starting to get interested in the Web. What parental control software do you recommend?
Continue reading "Parental Control Software"...Free Registry Cleaners
I've heard conflicting stories on the effectiveness of registry cleaners. Do they really help? If so, which registry cleaner do you recommend?
Continue reading "Free Registry Cleaners"...Cloud Computing
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?
Continue reading "Cloud Computing"...Online Photo Editing
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"...Accessing Blocked Websites
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"...My Favorite Software
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"...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?
Continue reading "iPhone Jailbreak Applications"...Free Online Word Processors
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.
Continue reading "Free Online Word Processors"...What is GnuCash?
I've heard that GnuCash is a free accounting program, similar to Quicken. So it's free, but how does it compare with Quicken or Microsoft Money, for basic household or small business accounting?
Continue reading "What is GnuCash?"...What is Google Pack?
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 free Google Pack software from the Google website.
Continue reading "What is Google Pack?"...Office Format Converters
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. Do they need a converter to open my files?
Continue reading "Office Format Converters"...Instant Messaging
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 popular IM software packages...
Continue reading "Instant Messaging"...Burn ISO Image
I just downloaded an ISO image file for a Linux install, but I can't figure out how to burn the ISO image to a CD. Can you help?
Continue reading "Burn ISO Image"...Photo Editing Software
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 more affordable?
Continue reading "Photo Editing Software"...Voice Recognition
Didja ever notice that Captain Kirk never had to fuss with a mouse or keyboard to communicate with the computer on the Star Trek? He simply spoke direct commands at the machine, and the computer complied. Happily, voice recognition technology has moved from the bridge of the Enterprise to your home computer. Here's how to get started with voice computing...
Continue reading "Voice Recognition"...Run Windows On Mac
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...
Continue reading "Run Windows On Mac"...Switching From Windows to Mac
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 why some people choose a Mac over a PC, and the major differences between the two operating systems, for the benefit of those who are considering a switch from Windows to a Mac...
Continue reading "Switching From Windows to Mac"...Recover Deleted Files
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 of tips and tools available to recover deleted files from the nether regions of a hard drive...
Continue reading "Recover Deleted Files"...Convert WMA to MP3
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?
Continue reading "Convert WMA to MP3"...Free Office Software
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?
Continue reading "Free Office Software"...Download With Bittorrent?
I've been told that I can download movies and even popular software for free using Bittorrent. Sounds too good to be true… What exactly is Bittorrent, is it legal, and safe to use?
Continue reading "Download With Bittorrent?"...Convert iTunes Videos to MPEG
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 can play them on MY portable video device?
Continue reading "Convert iTunes Videos to MPEG"...LimeWire - File Sharing
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?
Continue reading "LimeWire - File Sharing"...Missing or Damaged DLL files
When my uncle's PC is powered up he gets message CAN'T LOAD MSMGR32.DLL -- I have to click on it three times until the message no longer displays. Is there a way to keep the message from displaying, or do I need to reload the whole system?
Continue reading "Missing or Damaged DLL files"...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 her voracious appetite for learning. I was hesitant to turn her loose on computers, because I didn't want to stifle her natural creativity. I still believe that the best educational technology is a regular download directly from YOU or your child's teacher, but there are some pretty cool educational software and online services that can help the learning process along...
Continue reading "Best Educational Software and Technology"...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 objectionable themes in today's video games. Can you recommend some GOOD games, and tell me which ones we might want to avoid?
Continue reading "Best and Worst Video Games"...Low Virtual Memory
Recently I installed a game on a friend's computer and when we tried playing it, we would get a message saying 'Your system is low on virtual memory.' Can you please help us fix this problem?
Continue reading "Low Virtual Memory"...The Best Free Software
I see lots of freeware and shareware available on the Web, but I'm never sure if it's safe to download them. Are there good alternatives to the expensive shrink-wrapped software packages for sale in stores?
Continue reading "The Best Free Software"...Free Internet Software
So, you've got a web browser and an email program... Is that all the Internet software you'll ever need? Maybe, but first take a look at some of the nifty tools that are reviewed in this article. I think you'll find something here to make your online experience even better!
Continue reading "Free Internet Software"...Remote Access to Your Computer
I carry a laptop when I travel, but I always seem to forget some important files at home on my desktop PC. Is there some way I can access the files on my home computer through the Internet?
Continue reading "Remote Access to Your Computer"...Saving Word Files as HTML
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 rid of it?
Continue reading "Saving Word Files as HTML"...What is RSS?
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 I want one? Should I use an aggregator, and if so, which one?
Continue reading "What is RSS?"...
