Do you have Windows 8? Are you frustrated with the new interface and how they moved and changed pretty much everything? In early testing Microsoft allowed (via a registry hack) users to re-enable the start menu but before the release of Windows 8 removed this feature. Thankfully some very creative people over at Classic Shell have released a freeware utility which can… Continue reading
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Broadband? Bandwidth? What Does It All Mean!
Tuesday, February 5th, 2013Cel Mengata from St Paul, Minnesota writes: What is the difference between bandwidth and Broadband, and how do they work? Answer: There is a term called technobabble which is when industries use language and words that are common knowledge in that industry but to the rest of the world make little or no sense. I’ve… Continue reading
Restaurant Nutrition Information On The Web
Monday, February 4th, 2013One of the hardest parts of dieting or just eating healthy is figuring out the nutritional information for food when you are eating out. But there’s an easy way to find out the calorie count for your meals. Continue reading
How Does Noise Cancellation Work?
Sunday, February 3rd, 2013Noise cancellation headphones have become increasingly popular over the last decade but how do they work? What is the difference between noise reduction and noise cancellation? Which is better for what situation? Continue reading
Cropper – Save & Print Anything On Your Screen
Thursday, January 31st, 2013How would you like a utility that allows you to capture anything you see on the screen? Not only capture but save, print or paste into other programs? How would you like it to have an easy interface where you simply drag a box over what you want to capture and press enter? Continue reading
Laptop Battery Needs Replacing: Help!
Wednesday, January 30th, 2013What if your computer keeps telling you that your battery is no longer useful and needs to be replaced? Mine does that every day, but I can’t afford a new one. Answer: Contacting the manufacturer for a replacement can cost hundreds of dollars. I’ve got some good news: you can probably find one for a lot cheaper. Continue reading
Which Windows Updates To Install?
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013I have replaced the hard drive on an older XP machine and have re-installed XP Pro and SP1, SP2 and SP3. After the installation there was still about 150 updates that MS auto updater says need to be installed. Are all of these necessary? How can I determine which ones to download and install? Continue reading
Windows 8 Fax & Scan – Multiple Pages
Tuesday, January 29th, 2013Ron from MD writes: I’m using Windows 8 Fax & Scan. I can’t figure out how to scan a multi-page document into a single computer file. Every page scans into a separate file. I didn’t have this problem when I was using Microsoft Office 2003 scanning software. However, I’m now using Microsoft Office 2007, which doesn’t seem to contain the scanning software. I can’t imagine scanning software that won’t do what I want to do. Can you explain what’s going on? Continue reading
Old PC & New PC: Can I Use Both?
Monday, January 28th, 2013Sandy from Sparks, Nevada writes: I have a new laptop that came loaded with Windows 7. My desktop, which I love and adore, is loaded with the original (and updates, of course) of XP. I have no plans of changing the desktop, its still working great, but the laptop is new and I’m wondering if I will have an compatibility problems between the two since they are both hooked up to the same router and wireless printer. The laptop is still in the box, not set up yet…. Answer:The good news is if your older computer is… Continue reading
Want Microsoft Office? $9.95 Could Get You A Copy
Sunday, January 27th, 2013The most popular office productivity software is Microsoft Office with millions of users in schools, businesses and at home. The major complaint of almost everyone who uses office isn’t about the quality of the software, but the price. The full version of Office 2013 Plus runs close to $500. How would you like to get a completely legal official copy from Microsoft for only $10? Continue reading
How To Get The Most Out Of Tech Support
Sunday, January 27th, 2013The irony among buyers of anything electronic or technical is they want a company with good support, but most people fear calling for help. If you ask a tech support agent, they will tell you horror stories, and if you ask customers, they will counter with just as many horror stories. What can you do to get the most out of the technical support department of a company when you call or e-mail? Continue reading
Desktop Shortcut To Put Computer To Sleep
Thursday, January 24th, 2013Ken from Greer,SC writes: Is there any way to create a desktop shortcut to put my computer to sleep? I use Windows 7 Home Premium. Answer: A shortcut to put your computer to sleep is a fantastic idea and it’s pretty simple to do… Continue reading
Surface Pro & Latitude 10 Full Windows 8 Tablets
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013CES 2013 saw the first hands-on with the Surface Pro from Microsoft. This tablet is not the Surface released months ago running a limited Windows 8 RT edition, but the full desktop version of Windows 8 with support for all of the hardware & software of a traditional laptop. Dell however released a far more interesting… Continue reading
Microsoft Messenger Going Away, Welcome Skype
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2013Scott from Souza writes: Yesterday Microsoft Messenger sent me an email telling me I had to “update to Skype” or lose my account. I assume, therefore, that I will also lose my Hotmail account and everything in it. I’m concerned that Skype is a social networking service (none of which I trust for security reasons). I have not been able to find answers to these concerns by searching online, and I was wondering what you and your readers know about all of this. Thanks much. Answer: Microsoft… Continue reading
Can You Use Internal And External Wi-Fi Adapters?
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013Jack from Worthington, OH writes: My laptop has a built-in wireless LAN adapter that I currently use. Can I plug in and use an external adapter (the USB kind) without interfering with my built-in adapter? Will it upset the future use of my internal adapter? What about my encryption and security settings? Answer: The most common complaint in regards to Wi-Fi is related to losing or having unreliable connections. Each… Continue reading
The Best Handsfree For Your Cell Phone
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013One of the most popular accessories for a cellular phone is a headset. A headset allows you to keep your hands free while still talking on the phone. Many states require headsets if you want to use a phone while driving, but how do you choose the right one? What options are out there and what are the benefits of each? Continue reading
Multiple Svchost.exe, Dangerous or Safe?
Tuesday, January 22nd, 2013Shreekanta from Bangalore writes: I have a WindowsXP OS. The Windows Task Manager shows 5 to 6 svchost.exe would be running.Why is it so ? And could I safely cancel any of them ? Answer: Many people when they open task manager see the same thing you saw… Continue reading
Camera Codec Pack – Preview Raw Images
Monday, January 21st, 2013RAW is a popular format for higher end digital cameras, but unlike JPG images, you can’t preview them in Windows Explorer. Microsoft’s free Camera Codec Pack will allow you to preview these images so you don’t need to open every file individually to see what is in the photo. Here’s how to get it… Continue reading
How Does A Computer Understand Speech?
Saturday, January 19th, 2013I’ve Always Wanted To Know: How Does A Computer Understand Speech? Answer: Software like Dragon Natural Speaking or Services like Google Voice Search of Apple’s Siri Digital Assistant allow you to speak to a computer or smartphone and have the computer understand what you are saying. How does this work though? Continue reading
Older PC: Upgrade to Windows 7 or 8?
Tuesday, January 15th, 2013For many people, using Windows XP or Windows Vista this is an important decision to make. Do you choose Windows 7 knowing that it’s not the latest and greatest, or do you choose Windows 8 and force yourself to use the new interface? Continue reading
How To Set Default Search Provider in Firefox
Monday, January 14th, 2013Bill from NV writes: I have been using Firefox Mozilla for a few years and got Google every time I wanted to search for something. Suddenly, I find that I am using MyStart Search and I don’t like it. How do I get my Google back? Continue reading
Is it Ok to Leave My Computer On?
Sunday, January 13th, 2013I’ve Always Wanted To Know: Is It Ok To Leave My Computer On? Answer: Each industry has it’s own “depends on who you ask” question and one of the most common in the PC industry for confusion is “Should you turn off your computer when you’re not using it?” The question is generally difficult to have a consensus on because it depends on the type of computer, the needs of the user and how your… Continue reading
New Java Exploit – Disable Java NOW!
Friday, January 11th, 2013I’m beginning to sound like a broken record but there was another Java exploit discovered and this one is the worst kind of security hole, one that allows a hacker to install malware or viruses without your knowledge simply by visiting a website. The exploit has been confirmed by Bitdefender, a popular anti-virus company, as being actively used by hackers on the internet to compromise computer systems. Continue reading
Windows 8: How To Shutdown Quick
Thursday, January 10th, 2013Derek from London writes: Hi, is there a ‘quick’ way to close, or shut down, a computer running Windows 8, ie, similar to the start button, shut down with Windows 7? Continue reading
BrainyQuote: The Right Quote For Every Situation
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013The only thing you have to fear is not having the right quotation for a situation … or something like that … was said by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Providing quotations for a situation can be inspirational, caring, supporting and uplifting. The internet is rife with misquotes and reference to people who didn’t say a certain comment, so how do you know what the correct quote is and who said it? Continue reading
WizTree – Find Big Files Wasting Space
Wednesday, January 9th, 2013Tis the season to make new years resolutions and one of the most popular is to loose those extra pounds you’ve put on during the holidays. Have you considered making a resolution to put your computer on a diet? Get rid of all of those bloated files and space sucking programs that you never use? Continue reading
