Recent Comments
Comment by Donna Sue Fraley on [WOW] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure (December 21, 2024 07:14 AM)
Ohhhh gosh, how this brought back memories! I was a rider on the Bus when it first came into being! And I do indeed remember when the squirrels starte...
Comment by howard on [WOW] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure (December 21, 2024 02:34 AM)
I remember the days long ago when Steve and Johnnie, were on the overnight show on WGN radio, one day a week he would be on answering callers computer...
Comment by Cheryl C on [WOW] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure (December 20, 2024 10:36 PM)
Patrick's squirrel signature was because squirrels were frequently chewing on the electrical lines into the house interrupting internet access....
Comment by Donna on [WOW] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure (December 20, 2024 08:06 PM)
I'm a bus-rider from way back, too! Thanks so much for this blast from the past; love it!...
Comment by Bryan Hanes on [WOW] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure (December 20, 2024 07:41 PM)
I was a happy rider of the “Internet Tourbus” in the 90’s. I believe that the Squirrels were antagonizing the wiring at the University of Alaba...
Comment by Thom on [WOW] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure (December 20, 2024 07:18 PM)
Wow, is right! This brings back a lot of memories of the early days of the Internet....
Comment by Peppi on The Click That Could Cost You (December 20, 2024 08:01 AM)
Windows 11 home is not build well. Never had any security problems with Windows 10 for 7 years home version. But Windows 11 is easy to crack by phishe...
Comment by Sarah L on 14 Computer Facts That Are Not True (December 20, 2024 05:10 AM)
AdBlocker Plus is not clearing the screen of the ads that come with your post. Did you change what ads you buy? If I cannot block the ads, it is near ...
Comment by John Burrows on The Click That Could Cost You (December 20, 2024 02:35 AM)
Can it be dangerous to scan a QR code?...
Comment by Bob K on The Click That Could Cost You (December 20, 2024 01:18 AM)
Tom wrote: Bob - really like your articles, however I never have liked McAfee, there are much better software out there, ---------------------- Ind...
Cool-Stuff Articles
[WOW] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure
Have you experienced ASCII art? Long before the graphical World Wide Web was invented in the early 1990s, people were creating computer images that required no special hardware or software to view. ASCII art is composed only of plain text characters, and can be sent by e-mail without attachments. Take a stroll into Internet history, enjoy some ASCII art, and learn how to make your own…
...[MUST SEE] ASCII Artwork - An Internet Treasure
Long before the graphical World Wide Web was invented in the early 1990s, people were creating computer images that required no special hardware or software to view. ASCII art is composed only of plain text characters, and can be sent by e-mail without attachments. Take a stroll into Internet history, enjoy some ASCII art, and learn how to make your own…
...[CES] The Best Gadgets Coming in 2019
This year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), like all others, gave us a “forward-looking” peek at products that may be available later this year. CES is more of a trend show than a trade show. This year’s trends include “smart,” “5G,” and “artificial intelligence.” Of course, there are also marvelously silly products that probably will never reach consumers. Check out walking cars, talking toilets, cat face recognition, and more. Here is a roundup of the CES 2019 highlights...
...[FREE] Websites Without Hosting
I am still stunned by the free gift that Nicholas Jitkoff has given to all Internet users! Appropriately released on the USA’s Independence Day, July 4, it’s a way to create websites that exist independent from any hosting service. The uses of Jitkoff’s gift, named “itty.bitty,” are many, and so are their implications for the privacy and freedom of all Internet users. Here is how it works, and some examples of what it can mean for you…
...Should Robots Have To Identify Themselves?
If you call a fine restaurant, talk to a maitre d’, reserve a table, and later find out “he” was a souped-up version of Siri, does it really matter? You got your reservation, and probably got it more efficiently than if you had talked to a human being. Well, to some people this scenario is the stuff of nightmares. Should humans get full disclosure when they're talking to a software robot with the ability to carry on intelligent conversation? Read on...
...[IFTTT] Here's Your Personal Virtual Robot
Life’s simple pleasures are the best. Simple tools give great satisfaction; the thud of a hammer, the growl of a handsaw, and the elegant execution of an IFTTT applet. Read on to learn how IFTTT can make your life a little easier by automating certain tasks...
...It's Going Viral! - Internet Classics
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 at these things... and telling all our friends. Consider these Internet Classics required viewing...
...[WOW] Millions of Free Ebooks
Since the days of the Egyptian pharaohs, libraries have offered access to the printed wisdom and folly of humanity, but only to “authorized personnel” in the beginning. Most people had to travel and pay for books, and that was hard on budgets. But now the Internet makes available more good books, old and new, than one person can read in a lifetime. Here are a few examples of where you can find quality reads free of charge...
...Something NEW is Coming Soon...
Today's issue is a bit different. I have an announcement about something new, and some tips to help you get more out of the AskBobRankin website. I think you'll really enjoy learning about both of them. Read on...
...What is Tesla Powerwall?
Elon Musk thinks you’ll get a charge out of his latest product: the Tesla Powerwall, a wall-mounted battery that stores up to 10 kiloWatt-hours of electricity. Musk calls it “the missing piece” in the puzzle of how to wean ourselves off dependency on fossil fuels and power grids. Here's what you need to know...
...IFTTT: Your Personal Virtual Robot
Life’s simple pleasures are the best. Simple tools give great satisfaction; the thud of a hammer, the growl of a handsaw, and the elegant execution of an IFTTT recipe. Read on to learn how IFTTT can make your online life immensely easier...
...Free Satellite TV on PC?
I saw a website advertising software that's supposed to give you free satelite TV on your PC. The program costs $40, but they claim it lets you watch hundreds of live worldwide channels free of charge. Sounds too good to be true... is this a scam?
...Do You Have a Gravatar?
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...
...Free Apps for iPhone and iPod Touch
I just got an iPhone and the number of free apps in the App Store is a bit overwhelming. I also find it hard to navigate through the apps. Can you recommend ten must-have free apps for iPhone?
...Internet Collapse
I've gotten some forwarded emails claiming that the Internet is doomed to collapse very soon, unless some big changes are made to the infrastructure. Is it true… is the Internet going to go poof and vanish in a cloud of greasy black smoke?
...Mechanical Turk
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?
...Ebay Tips for Buyers
I've tried several times to buy items on eBay, but the bidding options are confusing to me, and I always get outbid at the last minute. Can you give me some tips on saving money and winning eBay auctions?
...Internet Knowledge Quiz
How much do you know about the Internet, cyber-culture, the heroes and the villians of the online world? Find out by taking the Useless Internet Knowledge Quiz!
...Jott - Note to Self
Jott is a cool new service that will convert your voice into email or a text message. Just call a toll-free number from your cell phone, and leave a voice message. Jott will translate your spoken words into text, and then forward the text to an email address or send a text message to a cell phone.
...Downloading Ringtones
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, today the U.S. is one of the fastest growing ringtone consumer markets in the world. Here's how to download or create your own ringtone...
...Are You a Slacker?
I just got a press release, pitching a product that's supposed to help managers identify employees who are wasting time online during work hours. The pitch says this: Contrary to popular belief, employees whom management considers the top employees are indeed many times the ones who waste the most time on their computers and online. My immediate thought was that they're looking at this COMPLETELY backwards...
...Specialized Searches
Everyone knows that you can throw a word or phrase at Google and it will return web pages that match. But Google is more than a search engine... it's a verb. Here are some very cool specialized Google searches that will save you time and make you wonder what Google doesn't know...
...What is Web 2.0?
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?
...What is Second Life?
Some of my friends are really into Second Life, they say it's the future of the Internet. Looks like Sim City on drugs to me... What is the big deal with Second Life -- who is playing and why?
...What is Broadband?
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 and I'm pretty happy with the service. What is broadband, and do I need it?
...AOL for Free?
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?
...Photo Printing and Sharing
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 printing, storage and sharing have become some of the most popular online activities, and a crop of websites have been developed to make all these digital photography tasks a snap. Let's put the lens on some of the best photo printing, photo storage and photo sharing sites...
...Google SMS
You've got a burning question... but you're stuck somewhere with no internet connection. News Flash... Google SMS lets you search the web from your mobile phone! Google SMS serves up answers to specialized queries, and it's as simple as sending a text message. Even if you DON'T have web access on your cell phone or mobile device, you can send your query as a text message and get phone book listings, dictionary definitions, stock quotes, sports scores, product prices, driving directions and more...
...Bad Stuff
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 Really Bad Stuff. Nothing dirty or illegal of course, but stuff so bad it'll make you laugh. Read on...
...Directory Information Overload?
Sure, there are lots of online yellow pages websites. But all too often, I find it frustrating to get the phone number or address for a business or public facility. Point, click, search, wade through multiple pages of search results, drill down into confusing category headings, and MAYBE you can find that phone number. Here's good news... it just got easier to do what should be a simple task.
...Computer Humor
Every day I get the same lame jokes in my email that have been making the rounds for years. Are there some websites you can recommend for really good computer humor?
...Web Moments That Changed the World
The folks at the Webby Awards are celebrating their 10th anniversary by compiling a list of 10 Web Moments That Changed the World. Some of them I agree are significant, others are ho-hum. And certainly there are some biggies missing from the list. Tell me what you think!
...Worst of the Web
Too much time on your hands? Then you'll be pleased to learn that there are still plenty of websites that have ABSOLUTELY NO REDEEMING VALUE. My scholarly research into the best of the utterly useless in the online world is now yours for the taking.
...A Dark and Stormy Night
I was just thinking back to the wonderful 'Bad Literature' parody that Saturday Night Live created years ago. Is there something like that in the online world?
...Who was the first Internet celebrity?
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, and experienced the power of the Internet to change a life forever. You never know... the next cyber celebrity may be YOU. Read on!
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