Can you find the name of a certain person or business if all you know about them is a phone number or street address? What if all you have is an email address or a photo? This type of search is called a reverse directory lookup. There are other tools to help you search backwards, to find people, places, names, photos, songs and more. Learn about the free and fee-based reverse search tools you can find online...

Google Chrome is the most popular Web browser, with a dominant worldwide market share. Perhaps you've been using it for years, but there's always a new trick to discover. And now that Microsoft Edge is built on the same Chromium codebase, they look and work much the same. Read on to learn about some awesome, advanced, and semi-secret features of Chrome, Edge (and other Chromium-based browsers) that can make them even more useful...

Are you in the market for a new printer? You might be wondering if you should you look for an inkjet printer or a laser printer. Or how about a basic printer versus an all-in-one (AIO) printer, scanner, copier, fax, and toaster? The choice -- inkjet vs. laser, and dedicated printer vs. all-in-one -- depends on what you print and how often you print it. Here's a look at the tradeoffs, and factors to consider when buying a printer...

Does your computer seem slow or sluggish? The problem may be too little RAM memory. But “add more RAM” is not the solution to every case of poor performance, and buying more RAM memory than you need or can use is just a waste of money. Read on to learn the ins and outs of adding RAM memory and how much memory is the “sweet spot” for Windows and Apple computers...

Wireless internet (WiFi) is convenient and essential if you have a smartphone, laptop or tablet. But if you aren’t careful, using WiFi to access the Internet can leave you open to hackers and unauthorized moochers of your Internet service. Here are some of the biggest mistakes that people make with WiFi, and how to avoid them. Read on!

Have you tried to sell some unwanted items to make a little extra money, but your attempts to sell on eBay have not worked out very well? Check out my power tips for eBay sellers to help you succeed. Read on...

An inquisitive reader asks: “Sometimes my computer acts strangely when it has been running for several days without turning it off. I have heard about something called ‘electron buildup’ but I am not sure I should take it seriously. Can electronic devices really suffer from fatigue if they are on too long?” It’s actually a great question! Read on for my thoughts on contumacious computers, cosmic rays, and more...

Uh oh... "Your battery is running low. You might want to plug in." We take electrical outlets for granted; they're everywhere -- until they're not. If you forget your laptop's charger at home, or get stuck far from a power outlet (quite common if you use your laptop in a coffee shop, airport, plane, train or car) follow these tips to maximize battery life of your PC or Mac laptop. Read on...

Have you ever wished you had a second line on your mobile phone? Do you have one cell phone for personal calls, and another for business or some other purpose? It's a nuisance to carry two phones, and expensive too. Isn't there some way to add a second line to a smartphone? Well, yes, and there are some other very good reasons for doing so, even if you're not running a business. Read on for several options...

Your computer suddenly starts to misbehave for reasons unknown... what to do? You could spend hours tracking down the subtle change that caused the problem, or you could climb into your time machine and go back to an earlier date when everything worked perfectly. That may be possible with the System Restore feature in Windows. Here's how it works...

To many, personal computers seem like complex machines. But under the hood, they basically consist of modules that plug together. You CAN build your own computer without a soldering iron or a degree in electrical engineering. But should you build your own PC? Read on for my advice...

Hi All! Today I’m taking a break from my usual job as Translator for the Technology Impaired, to share an “eye opening” story with my AskBob readers. If you’ve noticed I haven’t been publishing as regularly as usual lately, read on to see the reason for that. I think you’ll be glad you did...

An AskBob reader says “My computer is getting bogged down lately, especially when I have more than one program open. And the other day I got a 'low memory' warning. I've been looking into memory optimizers for Windows, but there are widely varying views as to how effective they really are. What is your opinion?” Read on for my take on memory boosters and optimizers, and why a shortage of available RAM memory might be a GOOD thing...

One common question from AskBob readers is “Do I need to update my drivers?” They mention popups appearing on their screen, with warnings like 'Your drivers are out of date.' Some are getting emails or even phone calls to that effect. Some users upgrading to Windows 11 have experienced driver issues. Here's the scoop on device drivers, what they are, what they do, when (and when not) to update them...

Recently, I recommended seven of my favorite free software tools, 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...