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Computer Tips
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Quick Tips

Shake it!

No matter which version of Windows you have, it always seems we become victims of “desktop clutter” as one point or another. Well, Windows 7 has a fun and useful trick you can pull next time you want to focus on just one window. You have to shake it!



Yes, just grab the top of a window with your cursor and shake rapidly back and forth. All open windows (besides the one you just shook) will minimize; giving you a clear view of what you were trying to concentrate on! Want those windows back? Just shake again!

~Andrew

Who'd have thought Windows could actually be fun? Rate or add to this tip here!

Announcements

Don't Let Disaster Strike Your Computer!

The Ultimate 1-2 Punch!

Amazing Software Recovers Deleted Files - We're Talking Point & Click!

Recover Files From Internal / External Hard Drives, Memory Cards, Flash Drives, MORE!

*** HUGE BONUS - Includes The Best Back-Up Software - Ever! ***

You'd Have To Be Crazier Than An Outhouse Rat To Miss This One!

Search and Recover 5

It happens to all of us sooner or later - we click Delete (or press Format) and suddenly realize that we just killed the wrong file! Oh, that is a sick feeling, isn't it? Truth is, if you're using a computer, digital camera, flash drive, or any kind of device that stores data you WILL eventually delete an important file! We get e-mails constantly from people asking how to get back irreplaceable photos, critical documents, tax records, music etc - it ain't no fun losing important data!

Hey, only two kinds of people in this world - those that have lost critical files and those that WILL!

What do you do when disaster strikes? You know, when you realize you just accidently formatted a memory card and lost all the photos from your once-in-a-lifetime vacation. Or maybe you just accidently deleted an important document you've spent days working on. Perhaps your hard drive is starting to fail and you've just lost access to your data (been there, done that). Maybe all your music was on your MP3 player and now it seems to be gone.

What do you do now?

Does the sweat start to bead up on your forehead? Does your face turn red? Does your pulse quicken and your breathing get shallow? Do you feel that gut twisting panic start to sweep over you?

Relax!

If you have Search & Recover 5 on your computer all is not lost - not even close! THIS is the go-to software for when you need to get data BACK from the digital darkness! This phenomenal software can recover your data - even when it seems hopelessly lost forever in the abyss! PLUS we just got an absolutely amazing deal on the current version that you'd better be sitting down for! WOW - we're gonna save you some serious money today!

Search and Recover 5

First of all, Search & Recover makes getting back deleted files as simple as a few mouse clicks! Really! Once you try it, you'll be completely blown away!! It wasn't that long ago that the only people who had access to this kind of data recovery technology were high-tech pros in white lab coats - and let me tell ya - you could easily shell out HUNDREDS to get files back the way this software does!

This has several really amazing options for recovery too! Unlike some programs, this lets you select the category of files you're looking for! Have it search for deleted photos and movies, have it look for songs & sounds, have it look for emails - or have it look for ANY kind of deleted file! No matter what you need to find, this makes it quick and easy to recover!

Oh, and get this - it even has this powerhouse option called "Total Recovery" that finds all the deleted files in an area (like a folder or drive) recovers them all at once for you! Outstanding! So, even if you have a DISASTER (like an accidental formatting of a data drive / memory card / flash drive or you delete a critical folder), THIS can get it back for you! Talk about a lifesaver!

Plus, using it is oh-so-simple - we're talkin' point & click here! Really! Just tell it what you're looking for, sit back and relax! It will scan your drive and give you a complete report of everything it finds! From there, just click the files you want to recover! 

You read that right - if you can use a mouse, you can use this incredible software!

Talk about SUPERCHARGED SOFTWARE too! This can even recover data on a drive that was formatted - now THAT'S impressive! We're talking pretty much anything too - internal hard drives, external hard drives, flash drives, and even memory cards! It can recover 'em all!

Oh, and this is FANTASTIC NEWS for anyone with a digital camera! If you've ever accidently formatted a memory card that had pictures on it you wanted, you know how much that hurts! Now, just pop your memory card into your camera (or card reader), hook up to your computer and run this software! It will recover your priceless photos in no time! WOW!

OK, I know what you're thinking (didn't know I was a mind reader, did ya)! Let me guess - "OK, that's all well and good, but I'm going to wait and buy this after I have a problem."

I completely understand - but keep this in mind. Once a file has been deleted on your computer, it's only a matter of time before it gets permanently overwritten by something else, and when that happens, it can never be recovered! 

That's why you MUST have this software standing by, ready to go at a moments notice! Wait too long, and nothing can help!

PLUS - That's not all! Recovery is great, but even better would be to have a backup! I mean, think about it - what would happen if right now, as you were reading this, your hard drive completely died? Do you have a current backup? You should - we've seen it happen again and again - people get so complacent thinking that everything is going to be fine in their computer forever. Then, in the blink of an eye, disaster strikes and all their data is gone! Years of photos - gone! Entire music libraries - vaporized! All your documents, files, programs - wiped out! Just think - what would you lose if your computer died right now?

Well, this comes to the rescue (again)! This is the absolute BEST way to back up your computer! EVER! This can create an exact copy ("image" in geek-speak) of your hard drive! And, keepin' with the theme - it's super simple!

Here's how it works - you launch the wizard, follow the prompts, and create an image of your hard drive - you'll be amazed at how easy it really is - and you'll wonder why you haven't been backing up all along! Then, if disaster strikes, you can run a wizard and restore your computer back to EXACTLY the way it was when you created the image! Every file, every folder, even every program - just the way you left them! Now THAT'S the way to recover! Usually you can be back up and running in an hour! AMAZING!

My Personal Little Horror Story -

A couple years back I was testing some software on my computer. I did the install, rebooted, and the computer was totally useless. It wouldn't boot, Windows was totally corrupted - it looked like a real disaster. Can you imagine how much work it was to get that going again? 

Surprise! I was back up and running in about 45 minutes! Luckily, I had made an image of the drive and I simply restored that image! All my data, programs, etc were ready to go and in less than an hour I was back at the computer like nothing had happened!Everything was EXACTLY the way it was when I made the image!

Having an image is SOOOOOOO much easier then trying to reinstall windows, spending a day getting up to date with your patches, installing all your programs (and trying to find all the serial numbers), and getting all your data back on your computer (assuming there was any left). Why risk lost data, hours of work, and lost of frustration when you can make an image?In an hour you could be back up and running like nothing ever happened!

Disk Imaging software is normally expensive too - we're talking $80 or so - and one of the bestimaging programs I've run across is actually included with this program! Even if you don't think you're gonna need the recovery software, the disk image software included with this makes it a must-have!

As if all the above weren't enough, this also has what it calls a File Terminator! This part of the software can take sensitive files and delete them permanently and forever - nothing can recover them! This is fantastic if you have sensitive information on your computer that you just don't want anyone else to ever had access to!

Important financial documents, bank statement, loan info, stock records - I'm sure you can think of a few files on your computer right now that you wouldn't want strangers to have access to! Well, when you're done with them, this can make 'em disappear - forever!

Just enable the feature in Search & Recover and it will add a Terminator item to your right-click menu! Just right-click any item you want gone forever, and hit Terminate! It's that easy! 

Your price for all of this? Well, first - let's look at what it's worth! File recovery program, hmm - $40. Imaging program - $40. File Shredder program - $30. Your total cost SHOULD be $110 - but it's NOT!!

Your price? Ready? Just $14.97 and US shipping is FREE! This is the current version you pay $40 in the stores for! Really! We made a special deal with the publisher for you because we were so impressed with it! Just wait till you try it - it's the one program no computer user should be without!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5178

PS - This special price is only for a limited number of units. Once we surpass our allocation, the price will increase to $39.97, so make sure you get to the site ASAP!


Man-oh-man!! Have I ever found some super-spectacular deals for you today!!! You won't believe some of the items that are back in stock and the incredible prices!!! Be sure to run to the store right away - since many of the quantities are limited!! Enjoy!! ~Steve

3-Button USB Optical Scroll Mouse - Black and Clear - Today ONLY - $9.97
(Original Retail $29.95)

Fantastic New Optical Mouse!!! Dirt Cheap!!

If you're in front of your computer a lot, you need a mouse that fits your hand and is comfortable to use. I mean, if your job involved standing all day, wouldn't you use have to wear comfortable shoes? Well, why not have a comfortable mouse if you are sitting at the computer all day? If you are looking for a mouse that feels like it was built using your hand as the mold, you're gonna LOVE this little guy!

 

This mouse comes with a really comfortable scroll wheel that makes scrolling easier, smoother, and faster! I use to think that the scroll wheel didn't matter, but just wail till you see how well this rolls - and how "finger-friendly" it is!! WOW! Plus, this mouse is optical, so you know that it is going to be accurate on almost any surface! With its ergonomic design, this mouse is perfect for both right and left handed users! Plus - this mouse has plug and play. Yep, that's right, all you have to do is plug it in and it will start to work!!! Now that is nice!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=4881


 6' GoldX QuickConnect USB 2.0 5-in-1 Cable Kit - Today ONLY - $12.97
(Original Retail $39.99)

Awesome 5-In-1 24k USB Gold Cables!!

Why do you need 5 different connectors? Well, ever notice how your printer takes one kind of end, your camera another, and maybe your phone or external HD takes yet another (different) type of connection? So now you can connect your computer to your digital camera, printer, scanner, PDA, phone and more with this single USB cable!!! That's right....do it all with just ONE USB CABLE and NEVER worry about the type of connection!!! Made of the finest materials available!!!

Plus - ALL 5 USB connectors are 24k Gold Plated!!!! So why is that such a big deal? Faster And More Accurate Data Transfer...that's why! You see, gold plated connectors don't oxidize so you get great electrical contact! And that means a Faster and Higher quality data transfer! "Fast" (480 Mbps!) so you're not waiting for your information to transfer or download. "Higher quality", so you don't have to down load your data again 'cuz the data got corrupted during the process! And as you probably already know, 24k Gold is more expensive than your "run-of-the-mill" materials. That's why most USB cables don't have 24k gold connectors!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5309

 Large Print PS2 Keyboard - Today ONLY - $18.97
(Original Retail $39.99 )

WOW!!! Awesome Large Print Keyboard!!!

The letters on this thing are absolutely ENORMOUS! They couldn't fit larger letters on the keys if they tried! If you have a difficult time seeing the letters on your current keyboard, this should easily take care of that problem. The printing is probably 3-4X the thickness of a standard keyboard. The great thing about this unit is they didn't just take a standard keyboard and slap larger print on the keys. Nope, this is a full-fledged multi-media keyboard too!

We're talking a handy row of buttons along the top that, with a simple push, will Open your Internet Homepage, Launch your E-mail Program, Navigate the Web, Run Your Media Player, and soooo much more!!!
Talk about some useful buttons huh? Don't even need to install a driver if you're using XP! Heck as cool as this thing is, even if you don't need large print keys it's still a spectacular keyboard!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=2359

Black 7-Port USB 2.0 Cable Hub -Today ONLY - $14.97
(Original Retail $39.95)

Turn 1 USB Port Into - 7 Full Speed USB 2.0 Hubs!!! THAT'S COOL!!

 This has absolutely, positively GOT to be the coolest USB hub we've ever offered! This turns 1 USB port into 7 - Yeah 7!! Hey, you know how it is - you can never (and I mean NEVER) have enough USB ports! Every computer gadget you find wants to suck up a USB port! Heck, lots of stuff even charges via your USB ports nowadays (MP3 players, phones, etc)! It's easy to run out of those little USB ports in a hurry - but you'd be hard pressed to run low on USB ports if you had one of these fantastic little babies hooked up!

 

Don't you hate crawling around on all fours trying to plug stuff into the back? Better yet - do you find yourself FIRST unplugging something, then plugging in something else, then back to the first gadget? Come on now - that's NUTS!! Why not hook one of these up and always have a plug ready, willing and able to go? 

OH YEAH, you'll LOVE this - we're talking full-on USB 2.0 here! This is like the Ferrari of the USB Hub world!Plug it into a single USB 2.0 hub and you'll INSTANTLY have 7 (yeah 7!) hi-speed USB 2.0 hubs right at your fingertips! Told ya it was sweet!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5155

CableNeat Clams - Buy One Get One Free - Today ONLY - $8.97
(Original Retail $24.95 )

Do You Have A Rat's Nest of Long And Messy Cables Lying Around?

Computers, appliances and telephones all have one thing in common: cords and cables...and plenty of them!! And that usually means one thing: a mess! I know...they're tough to tame. You just need a way to do it so you don't have to think about it any more. And we got it for ya! These are called the "CableNeat Clam" Cord Savers and they're so simple and heck...they work!

A tangled mess of cords or cables spells nothin' but T-R-O-U-B-L-E. They take up a lot of space and they're dangerous! Someone could easily trip over them. The other thing is that if you have a bunch of cords under a desk and you try to vacuum there, the cords can easily get caught up in the vacuum rollers and mess up the vacuum AND break the cord! So in addition to the aggravation of having to vacuum around them all the time, now you're talking money out of your pocket...never fun! All you do is turn each side of the clam inside out, roll your cords onto the center of the spool and close up both sides of the clam. It's that easy!! These little guys are gonna save you a ton of money and from having to look at that rats nest of cables you've got laying around!!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5131


 USB 4x28 Binoculars w/Built-In Digital Camera/Camcorder - Today ONLY - $20.97
(Original Retail $59.95)

Binoculars That Take Digital Pictures & Records Digital Video!!

There have been times when I've gone to a football game and had my binoculars and wished that I could take some pictures or a videow of that touchdown! Sure, you can schlep along a digital camera with a zoom lens, but it's not much fun watching a game through a camera lens!

These work just like a regular set of binoculars but it has the added feature of a built-in digital camera & video recorder! So you can "See OR Record" a scene just like you normally would with a pair of binoculars. But, then you can also "Save It", and then "Download It" to your computer and even "Edit It"! How awesome is that?!

It comes with a software program called photoImpressions. Just load the CD into your computer, plug one end of the USB cord (comes included!) into the binoculars and the other end into your computer and you're ready to roll! Just click on a couple of icons to transfer the pictures onto your computer - it's that easy!! You can even edit your pictures using this program if you want.

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5285



Computers 101

Q:
In Windows Vista, I'm a little confused about the "gadgets" on the side of my desktop. What's the purpose of these and is there any way I can get rid of them? Please explain!

A:
When you install Vista on your computer, you will first see just a few of the gadgets Microsoft picked for you on the right hand side of your desktop. But, the good news is that you can change them and choose your own as you go along with the Vista experience. The gadgets you can choose from are: Calendar, Clock, Contacts, CPU Meter, Currency, Feed Headlines, Notes, Picture Puzzle, Slideshow, Stocks and Weather. They all do their own thing while being very helpful.

Just as an overview, I'm going to go over some of my favorites, but I think they will be popular among you all as well. If I don't cover one that you particularly like, you can always take this information and learn more about the others. The directions are pretty much the same for all of them. Here we go!

First up is the calendar. With this, you can see a full calendar for each month of the year. Of course, it will display the current month, but you can easily change it to see another month if you need to. You can also have it set to show you just the current day of the week, along with the date number. All you have to do is click the calendar once to change between the views.

Another of my favorites is the clock. This one is cool, because you can change the design of your clock to whatever you want it to be. There's a normal looking clock, a flower clock, a blue one, a red one and several others. You can even give your clock a name. I personally have the flower clock with my name written on it. I love it! To change the view of your clock, go to the clock gadget and click on the little wrench icon. With that, you can change whatever you want within any of the gadgets.

Another helpful gadget is the feed headlines. There are four different Microsoft feeds that you can choose from. There's Microsoft Feeds, Microsoft at Home, Microsoft at Work and MSNBC. You can either have a couple of them or all of them all at one time. Once you choose what you want, they will all be right there for you on your desktop. It doesn't get any more convenient than that! To pick your feeds, once again, just click on the wrench icon and make your selections. The slideshow gadget is also very cool. This one isn't really as necessary as some of the others might be, but it's neat to look at. If you pick this as one of your gadgets, you'll constantly have a picture slideshow on your desktop to view. Now, it won't fill up your whole desktop, but there's an array of beautiful pictures that will show up on your Vista sidebar. There's everything from flowers to animals and so on.

The last one I'm going to talk about is probably my most favorite out of all of them and it's the weather gadget. Yes, there are several other weather downloads you can get that will show the current weather conditions on your computer screen, but I like this one better. It's bigger and it shows you the temperature and the current conditions (sunny, cloudy, etc.) very clearly. For example, it's cloudy and 49 degrees in Toledo right now! To change the area you want to see the weather for, just click on the wrench icon and type your zip code or city and state in the search box. It will appear for you automatically and you'll never have to wonder about the weather again!

Okay, so those are just a few that really caught my eye right away. Like I said, there are several others to choose from and you can have at least up to five gadgets on your desktop at one time. You can interchange them every day if you want as well. To access all the gadgets, click on the plus sign (+) in the upper right hand corner of your desktop and click on the word Gadgets. Then, to select whichever one you'd like, just double click it and it will appear on your screen for you. Also, like I said before, to make any changes to any of the gadgets, just click on that little wrench icon and go to town. Here's an example of what your desktop may look like when you are all done.



There are also some gadgets that you can download from the Internet. To check those out, just click on the link that says "Get more gadgets online." You can search through all of the choices and customize your desktop just the way you want it. Now, if you want to get rid of all the gadgets, right click on the word Gadgets in the upper right hand corner and just choose Close Sidebar. That way, all of the gadgets will disappear and you will have your full desktop space back again.

~ Erin

Windows 7 has gadgets, too! Don't forget to rate or add to this tip here!

MS Office

You Call That A Superscript?

Ever use the trademark TM symbol in MS Word?

(FYI… you can insert it quickly using "(TM)" - AutoCorrect will switch it out for the superscript TM that we're looking to have.)

Anyway, back to business, my point is that when I've used this symbol I've always felt that even though it's in superscript form it's still too big.

If you felt that way then you may have looked for a solution. Most people I know would try making the font of the TM smaller. The problem with that "fix" is that the TM doesn't stay at the top of the character it is next to as it shrinks… instead it moves downward as the top of the new font size moves.

Definitely not what you were looking to accomplish.

Well, I have a suggestion that is easier and actually does what you're looking for it to do.

Highlight the TM symbol (which is already a superscript symbol) and superscript it again.

I know, I know, how can we superscript what already is superscripted?

Well, in this case we can because the TM is inserted as a symbol - not two superscripted characters of text. Technically the TM is not superscripted text at all so, you're definitely able to superscript it.



See the difference?

With that one quick trick you've managed to reduce the size of the TM while keeping it in its correct place.

~ April

Was this tip useful? Don't forget to rate or add to it here!

More Cool Stuff

Finally! A Supercharger For Your Wireless Internet Connection!

WiFi A Little Weak?

Wish You Had A Better Single?

Have We Got An Amazing Deal For YOU!!

OK, you know how it is - you set up that new wireless router at home so you can enjoy wireless anywhere in the house. Only problem is, anywhere isn't quite right, is it? Invariably, your router ends up a little too far away from one of the computers and you have to put up with a slow, weak, crappy internet connection!

Oh, and how about when you're at a hotel that brags about having "wireless internet"? Yeah, we've all been there - they ALWAYS seem to stick you in a room that's juuusssst out of reach of that wonderful "wireless internet" they claim to have.

So, what if there was an ANTENNA you could plug into your laptop or desktop computer that would EASILY pull in those weak signals? 

Well, we found one! It's a 54Mbps 802.11G adapter with a HUGE antenna!

Now, to test this, we had Mike head out of the office and down towards the road with his laptop. He tried to access the network with just the adapter built into the laptop - barely one bar and SLOOOOOW doesn't begin to describe the experience.

So, he plugs this bad boy in and BAM! He had 3 bars and WOW!! The surfin' was Ferrari fast!!

In short - this baby really WORKS!

Setup is a breeze too - it's just a wireless USB internet adapter with a powerful antenna, so just plug it into your computer, run the software, and a few minutes later you're surfing! You can be up to 1600 feet away and STILL pull in a good signal! Now THAT'S impressive!!

Plus, if you're using this in a permanent location you can actually attach it to the wall with the included hardware! They thought of everything!

Bottom line - if you are sick and tired of weak WiFi signals, it's time to stop the slow, spotty connections and enjoy wicked fast internet again!

Your price? Just $28.97 and US shipping is FREE! Heck, you can't buy a standard wireless internet adapter from the big box stores for that kind of money, let alone the superhero of internet adapters!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5412

WARNING - Don't miss out - we have a seriously low quantity on this one!


Coolest Alarm Clock Ever!!

Wake Up To Your Favorite Photos!!

AWESOME 1.5" Digital Photo Display!!

Great For:

Traveling

Desktops

Night Stands

End Tables

Gifts

Even Displays the Date & Temperature!!!

This little Digital Photo Viewer Alarm Clock is absolutely amazing! I am already thinking about how great this is going to be to give as a gift for the holidays! It's portable, compact, looks great and is just one of the coolest gadgets I have come across in a long time!

This Digital Photo Viewer Alarm Clock is perfect for the desktop, countertop, end-table or night stand! The photo display has rich, vibrant colors and can store up to 60 of your favorite photos! You can set the display to automatically change your pictures at various intervals (mine is set to 30 seconds) or you can set the display to one particular photo and change it manually whenever you like.

Under the photo screen is an LCD display with the time and temperature! You also have an alarm and backlight feature on the clock as well which makes this a perfect item for travel! Not only do you have your own alarm with you (I prefer having my own when I travel, wake-up calls or hotel alarms aren't always reliable in my experience) but you also have all your favorite photos with you as well!

Setup is really easy, the Digital Photo Viewer Alarm Clock comes with a USB cable and easy to use software, so you'll be easily loading and displaying your favorite photos within minutes! Once your photos are loaded, simply set the display type (auto change pictures or manual) and your all set!

Mine is on my desktop here at work and I gotta tell ya, it brings a smile to my face every time I glance over and see one of my family photos! I have never been a huge fan of digital frames before, I didn't see the need ~ but, this one is so compact and handy with the clock and temperature display that I can't get over how excited I am about it!

I guarantee, this will bring a smile to your face too and it will make an AWESOME gift! My sister just had her 40th birthday and I was looking for something really clever ~ this would have been perfect! I could have loaded all kinds of goofy photos from when we were kids (including all of our goofy moments since) ~ I guess she'll be getting this for Christmas instead ;-) Along with my grandparents, mom, dad, etc...

You have to check this out for yourself (I don't think our picture here does it justice). The best part is that your cost is just $15.97 and that includes FREE shipping in the US! Have you priced digital photos frames?? Most go for $75.00+!! I was in WalMart yesterday and saw something similar for $69.99...and I thought Walmart was supposed to be cheap!!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5401

PS - This item is brand new for us and quantities are limited so don't wait to order! Get to the site and get yours today! Oh yeah, only 36 days 'til Christmas!


Today at WorldStart.com

Picture Perfect in Word
Do you use a lot of pictures in your MS Word documents? If so, do you spend most of your time resizing them, only to mess them up in the end? Want an easy way to make them look "perfect?" If that's what you've been waiting on, head over to Worldstart now and check out our featured tip!

Quarkbase
Welcome to Quarkbase, a Web site that looks just like another search engine, but it's so much cooler! It's not just another search engine. No, it's a database that will tell you everything about a Web site. Check it out over at Worldstart today!

Here's the link you need: http://www.worldstart.com/ Enjoy!

Tip of the Day

Clear Type

Do you ever find that the characters on your screen are difficult to read. They are either not dark enough or a little fuzzy. So, is there anything you can do?

Indeed there is. There is a very simple process you can undertake so that the fonts on your screen are readable. And the best part? The price is free!

Browse over to the Microsoft site here and click on the ClearType Tuner PowerToy download to the right (see picture below).



Once it has downloaded, click on Setup and let Windows install it automatically for you.

The final installation screen looks like the screenshot below. Just make sure you tick the “Launch the program” box before you finish.



Thereafter, you will see this picture:



(You will notice there are two tabs at the top: Introduction and Advanced. We will stick with Introduction here and return to Advanced at the end of the article).

The first thing to do is make sure the box Turn on Clear Type is selected.

Then click on Start Wizard to walk you through the rest of the process.

This screen will then present itself:



Have a look at the two samples displayed there and click on the one that looks the nicest to you and then click Next.



And you will now see that you can fine tune that a little more with this screen where you have six choices. Again, choose the one you like best and click Next.



On this screen, you will see the final result previewed for you. If you like it, click Finished. If you don’t, click Back and select another option from the previous screen.

Basically, that’s it! Easy and free! It doesn't get any better than that!

Now, I did mention the Advanced tab on the earlier screen. You might want to look at this if you are still not happy with your finished results. This enables you to accomplish some even finer fine tuning.

Have a look at the screen that is revealed:



And you will see you have four actions you may like to take and those are:

Enable Font Smoothing - Use this to get rid of the jagged edges on fonts.

Apply all the settings to the defaults for new users or a new system - In other words, do you want to keep these changes for everyone who uses the computer and for any messages that Windows gives you?

Set Sample Font - Maybe the font that has been used to show you the options is not the one you regularly use. Well, you can change it here (click on the button to get the font selection) and select what you like.

Clear Type Contrast Settings - Anything you want between dark and light can be set here. Work your way to the "perfect" display for yourself.

So, as you can see, all you need is a couple of minutes to work and you will have your screen looking just as you want it to look with no problems anymore!

~ David Woodford

Now that is a handy little tip! Remember to rate or add to it here!

Today's Feature

Convert old cassettes and LPs into MP3 or CD in a flash

Q: Is there a program out there that will convert my old cassette tapes or vinyl records to CD?

A: The short answer is yes. There is a program out there that will record cassette tapes or vinyl records to CD. Today, I will show you how. If you have the right software and the right cords, getting your cassettes and Vinyl onto your computer, then onto CDs, is a pretty easy task. Just follow the steps below and you will be on your way to bringing your audio into the 21st century!

What you need: To make the conversion, you will need a (free) audio recording program, a tape or record player and a cord to connect the device to your computer. Here's a breakdown:

1. Audacity. This is the program that will record your audio to your computer.

2. LAME-encoder. This is a file that will convert your audio to MP3.

3. A record player or cassette player. Hopefully you already have one of these.

4. A cord to connect the player to your computer. We have them available in our store. I'll provide links to them later on.

Let's get started.

OK. The first step is to install Audacity and LAME. Click here to download Audacity. After completing the download, run the file that you just downloaded. This will install the program. Next, download the LAME MP3 encoder by clicking here. After downloading this file, do the same thing. Run the file and click next through the steps.

Now that we have the software installed, we can look at connecting your tape player, or record player, to your computer.

Your player will have one of two types of outputs. You will either have a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, or RCA audio output jacks. (Pictures below).

  or  

If your device has RCA outputs (left image), you will need this cable to connect to your computer.

If your device has a 3.5mm jack (right image), you will need this cable to connect to your computer.

The other end of the cable will connect to the line in jack on your computer(image below).

So far, so good. Right?

Now that we have the software installed and the cassette/record player connected to the computer, let's record something!

Put a cassette or LP into your player. Get the player to the place where you want to start recording and pause or stop the player.

Now, let's stop messing with all this hardware and get the computer set up. First, go to your control panel and open your audio settings.

In XP, go to the audio tab and click "volume" under sound recording. Place a check next to "line in". If you don't see a "line in" option go to options and click advanced. Place a check next to "line in" there.

In Vista/7 go to the recording tab. find your line in, select it then choose "set default". Click on "properties", go to the levels tab and turn up the level to 80 or 100. (This varies depending on what you are recording so you may need to adjust this to get it right).

Now let's open Audacity. (screen shot below).

As you can see, Audacity is pretty much a more advanced sound recorder. To begin recording, press the play button on your record/cassette player then click the red "record" circle on audacity. You are now recording to your computer! When you are done, click stop on audacity and press stop on your player.

After recording, you can now export your audio as an MP3. Go to the file menu and click "Export as MP3". You can now choose the name of the file and save to wherever you want. You are done recording!

NOTE: The first time you export as MP3, you will see the warning below. Click yes, then navigate in the window to C:\program files\lame for audacity\lame_enc.dll and click OK. You will only get this warning once.

Now that you are done recording, you have your MP3 files on your computer. You can stop here if you want or you can burn them to CD. To do this, just open any CD burning program and choose to create an audio CD. (If you are looking for a free CD burner, you can get one here: http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/cdburnerxp)

Enjoy!

~Gary

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Amanda's Coolsite

National Geographic: Redwoods

I’ll freely admit what lured me to this site was the fantastic photographs of the redwoods. I was happy to get to the site and find that there was so much more going on than just amazing photos.

There are five sections to really explore. They are:

Read the Story – here you will find twelve pages of well written information that tells you the story of these trees.

See Photos – this is what brought me to the site, and I think once you start delving into the photos here you’ll see why.

Follow the Transect – I lost myself in this section. I was quite surprised at how compelling I found the timeline of the trees, and how interesting it was to see how large the range of trees was. This is a truly expansive range of trees. On the timeline you can click the green circles to see the photo that matches that spot on the journey of Mike Fey and Lindsey Holm as they walked the range. Make sure you tab over into the Redwood Time Line section – it’s fascinating!

Go Behind the Photo – this section takes you to video where you will learn how the team made a composite image of an entire tree! This was really cool to see.

Solve a Mega-Puzzle – if you don’t care about photos or the history of these amazing trees but you are a jigsaw fan this is the section for you. This is a puzzle that would make any jigsaw fan proud. And they aren’t kidding when they say it is a mega puzzle. I was overwhelmed at first by where to start-I’m a huge jigsaw fan- but as I plugged away at it, the puzzle started to come together and was very rewarding in a sense of accomplishment when I finished it. You may want to register so you can save your progress and not have to work it all in one sitting, it is really huge.

This site is awesome, I’ve shared it with my friends and family, I hope you all will do the same!

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/redwoods/redwoods

~Amanda

Fascinating! Rate or add to this tip here!

Do you have a cool, non-commercial site that you want to share?
Send it to Amanda at
amanda@worldstart.com

Monthly Wallpaper

HOLY SMOKES!!! These things have been flying off our shelves!!! We found just a few extra in our warehouse - so we were able to stick these in our newsletter again today. We will NEVER have these EVER AGAIN!! This will be your ABSOLUTE last chance to get yours - because we WILL SELL OUT today!!

Attention All Windows XP Users - Killer Clearance Sale!!

TODAY Is Your Absolute
LAST-CHANCE To Grab Yours (11-19-09)!!

WOW! Run Windows XP Like A Pro For $2.97!

Yeah, $2.97!!

You'll Be Amazed At What A Few Hours Training Can Do!

Wait Till You Try The Clever Interactive XP Simulator!

Engaging Audio And Video - It's Like Your Own Personal Tutor!

Learning XP Has Never Been So Much FUN - Or So EASY!!

Hey - Do you wish you were better at using Windows XP? Maybe you're sick and tired of trying to figure everything out, maybe you're frustrated when you just can't get Windows to do what you want. Hey, maybe you just want to actually ENJOY Windows XP instead of fighting with it all the time! Say goodbye to the headaches and save your aspirin for dealin' with the kids! We have Professor Teaches Windows XP and it's a real stunner!!

First off, this software features 75 topics for XP (Pro And Home), PLUS 59 excellent tricks and tips for internet explorer! That's over 125 absolutely fantastic multimedia presentations that show you how all the great XP features work - wait till you see what you've been missing! You'll really love how easy these terrific presentations are to follow and watch! What's exciting about this software is that you're not just reading a dull page of text; this uses engaging audio and video to explain exactly how you do something! PLUS just wait till you see how thoroughly they cover each topic - there's not a single mouse click left out of the presentation! This won't leave you guessing - it'll leave you knowing EXACTLY what to do! It's like having Bill Gates sitting next to you, going over XP step by step (only this is a little cheaper :-)!

The presentations are incredible, but ti doesn't stop there! Are you one of those people that learn better by "trying it out" on your own? Well, this has an amazing Windows XP Simulator built in! It works like this - you watch a lesson, then you can actually "try" it - just like you were using Windows, only you're not going to be able to mess anything up! How cool is that? If that's not the smartest way ever to teach Windows, I don't know what is! It's really like having a private computer tutor! Heck, you can even take a quiz at the end of the chapters to test your knowledge!

Plus, you'll really love the way the presentations progress too- they won't leave you behind scratching your head! You'll start off with the basics, then move on to more advanced topics as you learn. Of course, you can always skip back and review, but let me tell ya, as good as this software is, you probably won't need to! Plus, if you need a quick fix to a problem, you can skip to any topic at any time!

What's covered? HA - What isn't? This thoroughly covers everything you'll ever want to know about XP! Want a small taste of what you're gonna get on this jam-packed CD?
We're talking: setting up internet and e-mail, adding an internet connection, basic networking and printer sharing, computer security, updates, customizing your desktop, troubleshooting problems, adding / removing programs, getting help, advanced PC health, troubleshooting, making CDs, using the sound recorder, tricks for printing web pages, fine-tuning your system, adding hardware, printing,, intros to everything (desktop, explorer, folders, ect), customizing your start menu, getting the best performance, working with files and folders, using the taskbar, a bunch of great desktop tricks, and more! You're REALLY gonna love it!

Here's the main categories:

Windows XP Basics
Customizing & Using The Desktop
Working With Files And Folders
Managing Your Computer
Printing and Networking
Exploring The Internet
E-mail And Instant Messaging
Mastering Media
Internet Explorer

Whew, it covers a TON and we've only touched the surface here! Seriously, if you're running Windows XP, this is an absolute MUST-HAVE! This makes using XP sooooo much easier, it's crazy to fight and struggle along! Give this a try, by the time you're done you'll not only love XP, you'll be using it like a pro!

Your price? You can get this today for just $2.97!!  That's FREE US Shipping of course, plus if you don't love it, just send it back within 60 days for a refund! Trust me, this is the best way to learn XP - I've never seen a faster - or easier - way to learn! You'll love it too! In stock, ready to ship, grab 'em while you can!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=3696

PS - If you're running XP, this is going to make that experience soooo much better! Crazy not to grab it - I know I'm impressed!

We WILL BE SOLD OUT TOMORROW (11-20-09)!!!



Monthly Wallpaper

November Wallpaper

Here's this month's free calendar wallpaper! As always, it's 100% free, so head on over and grab one!

 

Hummingbird (Photo contest winner)

Hummingbird eating nectar from a flower.

 

Undine Falls
Smoky Mountain Rainbow

It's all free, so enjoy!

All can be found here:

http://www.worldstart.com/wallpaper/index.php

Enjoy!
 
 

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Copyright, Disclaimer, and Removal

ISSN: 1529-336X
Copyright 2009, WorldStart. All unauthorized reproduction strictly prohibited.

You are welcome to reproduce this newsletter (i.e. print it, store it) for your own personal use. You are also welcome to forward it, in its entirety, to friends and family.

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Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation (duh!)


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