Recent Comments
Comment by kristofau on Does Your Computer Need an Oil Change? (April 29, 2025 01:33 AM)
This is the first time in years that Bob has not endorsed PC Matic when talking malware. I've given up on PC Matic after working with them for months ...
Comment by bb on Does Your Computer Need an Oil Change? (April 28, 2025 11:01 PM)
Practicalman: One does not have to update drivers. One does not have to update BIOS. One does not have to update programs. Only do so if you have a...
Comment by Hill on Does Your Computer Need an Oil Change? (April 28, 2025 10:13 PM)
To Practicalman- If it ain't broke, don't fix it....
Comment by Practicalman on Does Your Computer Need an Oil Change? (April 28, 2025 08:08 PM)
I am a longtime fan and user of CCleaner, running it at every startup and shutdown, but have always only chosen the free version. It keeps reminding m...
Comment by Renaud Olgiati on Does Your Computer Need an Oil Change? (April 28, 2025 06:18 PM)
Another important point is to regularly clean the mechanical side of things, like blowing out the dust and lint that accumulates inside the case, and ...
Comment by Fred on Does Your Computer Need an Oil Change? (April 28, 2025 05:41 PM)
So glad CCleaner is back....
Comment by Gia on ZAP Your WiFi Intruders! (April 25, 2025 07:46 PM)
Namoi (and others): What this article is talking about is the Windows "Network Discovery" feature. This is far from being a reliable tool and depends ...
Comment by Nomi on ZAP Your WiFi Intruders! (April 23, 2025 09:09 PM)
I was able to find "view network computers and devices" following your instructions, but I don't know what to make of what I see there. How do you na...
Comment by chris on ZAP Your WiFi Intruders! (April 23, 2025 07:33 PM)
What I like about "wireless network watcher" is it's ability for the user to assign identifiable names to each device. It makes it extremely easy to ...
Comment by hifi5000 on ZAP Your WiFi Intruders! (April 23, 2025 06:55 PM)
I suggest you get to know your router well. You can type in its IP address (LAN) and see what is set up for. You should have a strong password for the...
Music Articles
Will Streaming Music Soon Cost More?
The Music Modernization Act (MMA) has become law, after decades of wrangling between songwriters, producers, streaming services such as Spotify, and other stakeholders. More people will collect money for music. Does that mean you will pay more? Read on to see what the MMA does and how it may affect the cost of music...
...Free Online Radio Services You'll Love
Web based radio allows you to listen to online radio stations on your computer or on a mobile device. But of course, the Internet is much cooler than a radio, so Internet radio lets you do all kinds of things you can't do with regular AM, FM or satellite radio broadcasts. Here's the scoop on tuning in to Internet radio...
...[TUNES] Get Your Free Online Music
“Without music, life would be a mistake.” Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche did not overstate music’s importance by much. Fortunately, there's plenty of music available for free, via the Web or mobile devices. Here are some of the best places to find and listen to music online...
...Let's Compare Online Music Services
A new on-demand music streaming service, Amazon Music Unlimited (AMU), debuted October 12, 2016. Will it save you money compared to Spotify, Apple Music, or Google Play Music? Is the library of songs any bigger or better? Let’s take a look at the leading on-demand music-streaming services and Amazon’s newcomer. Read on...
...[TUNES] Here's Your Free Online Music
“Without music, life would be a mistake.” Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche did not overstate music’s importance by much. Fortunately, there's plenty of music available for free, via the Web or mobile devices. Here are the best places to find and listen to music online…
...GRANTED: Permission to Tinker, Copy and Explore
For the past several years, it's been illegal to tinker with or modify certain electronic gadgets you own, or even explore how they work. It's also been a big no-no to make personal copies of music, videos and games you own. But that's changing. Read on to learn the latest news about the laws that govern your car, mobile phone, medical devices, music, movies… and your John Deere Series 8000 farm tractor.
...What is VLC Media Player?
Do you play music or videos on your PC, Mac or mobile device? Frustrated with the limitations of iTunes or Windows Media Player? Here comes VLC Media Player to the rescue! Read on...
...Free Amazon Prime Music - Worth it?
Amazon increased the cost of its Prime free-shipping membership from $79 to $99 just a couple of months ago. Now the e-commerce giant is trying to make up for it with a new Prime benefit: unlimited streamed music. But is this new perk really worth the extra $20? Read on for my analysis...
...More Free Online Music
There are many sources of music online: iTunes, Slacker, Pandora, Spotify, and plenty more. Most of the big music services follow similar business models: Free music, with ads and limits on what you can hear, or pay for more. But there are some music services that go against that grain. Read on to learn more about free online music...
...How to Backup iTunes
If you've spent years (and your hard earned cash) building your iTunes library, it makes good sense to ensure that it's safely backed up. There are several ways to make backups of your iTunes library. Unfortunately, some are incomplete or cumbersome. It’s important to understand the differences in order to choose a backup method that’s right for you. Here's what you need to know about backing up your iTunes music, movie and audiobook collection...
...Five Web Radio Services You'll Love
Web based radio allows you to listen to online radio stations on your computer or on a mobile device. But of course, the Internet is much cooler than a radio, so Internet radio lets you do all kinds of things you can't do with regular AM, FM or satellite radio broadcasts. Here's the scoop on tuning in to Internet radio...
...Amazon Cloud Player - Your Music Everywhere
Amazon Cloud Player is a digital music storage and streaming service brought to you by Amazon.com. Your music collection is stored online in Amazon’s cloud servers, and the Cloud Player app lets you manage and play them whether you’re at home or on the go. Here’s how it works...
...Free Music With Spotify?
Some of my friends are using Spotify to get free music. I got burned by using Limewire in the past, so I want to make sure this is legit before I jump in. Is Spotify really free, legal, and can I play any song I want?
...Radio Apps For Your Smartphone
Radio stations have been broadcasting over the Internet since 1994. Internet radio is quite popular; up to one in seven Americans listens to Internet radio at least once a week, according to market researchers. So it's not surprising to find plenty of apps that bring Internet radio to smartphones. Here are some of the best radio apps for iPhone and Android phones.
...What is Google Music?
I'm trying to understand what Google Music is all about. Why would I want to upload my music to a cloud? And does this mean that I can access any song for free?
...Windows Media Player
Microsoft Windows Media Player is the free, pre-installed media player for Windows 7, Vista and XP. It also comes built into Windows-based smart phones. Windows Media Player is a versatile player for nearly all types of audio and video files. It also rips and burns CDs, and does a lot more...
...Finding Lyrics
I've heard that when a song gets stuck in your head, it's because your brain is trying to remember the words. So where do you go when you just have to have the lyrics to that song that's driving you crazy? Let's explore the options for finding lyrics on the web...
...Music For The Blackberry
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?
...Internet Radio
Internet radio allows you to listen to online radio stations on your computer or on a mobile device. But of course, the Internet is much cooler than a radio, so Internet radio lets you do all kinds of things you can't do with regular AM, FM or satellite radio broadcasts. Here's the scoop on tuning in to Internet radio...
...DRM-Free Music
I've run into problems trying to transfer my iTunes music to an MP3 player. I am told that the problem is DRM, some sort of copy protection built into the songs. Are there ways to get around this? Can I buy DRM-free music, or remove the DRM code?
...DRM Removal
Are you trying to convert iTunes music to MP3 format? Or maybe you have some protected WMA files that you want to convert? There are plenty of good reasons why honest people might want to use a DRM remover to convert their legally purchased DRM-protected music into other formats. Here's how to do it...
...iTunes Alternatives
I'm getting frustrated with iTunes for many reasons. Are there some good iTunes alternatives for Windows and Linux users?
...Rip & Burn Basics
I have a big music collection on CDROM discs. I'd like to get all this music on my computer and burn my own mix CDs. Can you help me get started?
...What is Podcasting?
Hey Bob, what's a podcast? Is this some kind of broadcast just for people with iPods?
...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?
...Itunes Music Skipping
I have trouble with iTunes songs 'skipping.' At first I thought it was because of my speakers, but one of my friends mentioned that she has the same problem. Is this due to low RAM or because iTunes takes so much RAM? I started to use WinAmp again because it doesn't have such a long lag time as iTunes and doesn't do the weird skipping thing.
...Play WMV on Mac
I have a WMV (Windows Media) video file. But of course I don't have Windows Media Player on my Mac. Can I play this video with QuickTime on the Mac, or convert it to MPEG format?
...Digital Music and Lyrics
Remember the good old days of Napster & Cohorts, when you could illegally download your favorite music all day long, while thumbing your nose at the greedy record companies? Ahhh, the memories...
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