The Everyday PC Helper

Google Docs - Best Online Office?

2011-09-01T06:35:00.000-07:00

For my first review, I decide to explore the Google's MS Office alternative. Although Google Docs as 5 apps, I will be reviewing the main 3 ones: the text, spreadsheets and presentation editors.

General Info

The Google Docs is a free Cloud-based set of applications that allows for edition of Text Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Drawings and Forms (to email or put in your website).

It allows for creation of a new document or upload of an existing one, supporting several formats, like MS Office and OpenOffice, and converting them into their format. Although Google Docs doesn't allow for offline edition, being this one off the main disadvantages, the Google's bet in Document edition is very good for documents that are edited by several people or that are edited in several places. Docs allows for 50 people being editing the same document at the same time, even including a chat for people to discuss. Also, you don't even have to save, since Docs is continually saving your progress, pretty much like the blogger does. Also, the Google Docs gains some points by including in the Android Market a free app.

Strong Text Processor
The Docs text processor is probably the most evolved application of the set. It has very simple interface and Google has introduced a new look that I think it's even better.

The page can be displayed in two ways, the paginated or the compact, a new way that its competitor from the Microsoft doesn’t have. In this way, the headers, the footers and the gaps between pages are eliminated, so that all the writing space is continuous. This is a good feature for who wants to be continually writing without interruptions.
Of course, It has some limited features like the predefined number of fonts and font-sizes, but overall its a very simple and good text processor.

Updated Spreadsheets Editor

The Google's Spreadsheets Editor is also very good. With a good part of the features that the MS's alternative and has already with a VBA-like scripting system (although not as evolved), with the possibility of upload your own scripts to a user-library.
Also, from what I've seen on the web, this editor is updated pretty often, so each time that you edit your document, there may be a new feature.
I think that google's bet isn't as strong as Microsoft's one, but it's evolving fast.

Not Bad Presentation Editor

Google's PowerPoint isn't as strong as the other two, but is not half-bad. beside not having those animations between slides, that help us make presentation a little less boring, This presentation editor has a very simple and direct interface, and has some cool features, like the integrated YouTube search, that makes putting an video in a presentation much easier. Even being a little short on features, this editor makes presentable presentations and it's very simple.

On a overall performance, I think that Google Docs is an excellent free option for people with a permanent internet connection, and it's the best option for who as to work it various computers and as to share a document with various people, even having less features then other editor.

Feel free to add, correct ot comment the review (be nice, its my first review ;))

Simple Guide to Format Your PC

2011-08-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

I know that there are alot of guides out there on how to format your PC, but most of them are really long and boring so I'm writting an as simpler as possible guide on how to format your PC, in as fewer steps as I can.

Requirements:

A Windows Installation Disk (XP, Vista or 7)
A Storage Device (Pen, External Hard Drive, DVD, etc.) where you can save your files and drivers
Some Patience.

First - Save Files and Drivers:
Since we are doing a clean installation, we're going to erase all the file in your computer, so you need to save files you want to keep somewhere. Save those files in your storage device so that when the computer is formated. After that, you have to get the drivers of your computer. I highly recomend that you get your drivers before the process because you can simply know the name of the devices by going to the Device Manager, because after the formatacion you have to search the drivers by the device ID, that being much harder.

Second - Partition Option and Disk Formatting
After you backup everything, insert the disk in the dvd drive and reboot the PC. Remember to put the DVD driver as main booter on the bios. Continue and press any key when asked to. The files will begin to load. After that, if you're installing Windows Vista and 7, you'll be asked to select language, time and currency format. Choose them and let it load for a minute or 2.
In Windows Vista, it will be here that you're asked to insert your Product Key. Insert it or choose to insert it later. After that you have to accept the license terms, independent of the Windows Version. Now pick Custom (Advanced), for Vista and 7.
It's time to choose the partition options. I recommend now that you delect all the partition and install on the unpartititonated space, but you can have whatever partition configuration you want. After that the process of formatting and installing .Since it takes a good time, it's now that the patience part comes in. After it, the computer will reboot and the Windows Setup will begin.

Third - Windows Setup
This part its the simpliest. You just have to fill the setup with the information they ask you to. You will be asked to put Time Zone, Name, Username, PC Name, etc., and ,if it's Windows XP or 7.

For those who are more visual, I will add link to 3 Youtube videos, for the three Windows:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyMWz5UEgoI - Windows 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAU5EHFIbLc - Windows Vista
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0cop_am1WM - Windows XP
This videos aren't mine, but i think they're good for visual support on the installation.

Now that everything it's done, enjoy your clean, like-new PC.
Feel free to add/correct anything in the comments section

4 Way of Making Money Online

2011-08-30T02:29:00.000-07:00

So, Hey Guys

This is my first post on this blog, that is still under construction, and I decided to discuss a topic that is talked pretty much a lot in the web in this times: How to make money online?
I decided to help you guys, explaining 4 of most used ways of making money online.

The Survey Way: This is one of the most used ways of making money online. The only thing you have to do in this method is to fill some surveys that specialized sites give. The income for each survey isn't that great, but if you spend some time doing surveys, you can get a good income from it.
There are a lot of websites for this purpose, some free, some membership only. From the ones I've tried, I would recomend:
http://www.surveymastermind.com/ & http://www.surveyscout.com/
Notice that there are alot of contries that the number of surveys are more limited, so this is especially recomended for people living in the US and Canada, whre the number is bigger.
Money Blogging: This way is also very used today. The advantages are that is costs litle money to start one, it can earn you good money, and most of the times you like doing it. First thing you have to do is choose is the theme of your blog. I recommend you to choose a theme that you like, but at the same time, that can earn you good money. Next you must choose your domain. You can choose a free domain, like Wordpress or Blogger, or choose a payed one that gives you more freedom to manage it.
Then you have to get traffic for your blog. You can do this by paying adds, or you do it for free, join social network and spreading the word or write articles and put the link of your blog in the end. When you get a good amount of traffic, you have to monetize the blog. One of the most knowned ways of getting money blogging is using adSense. AdSense is a free to join program that gets you paid by clicks that are made in advertising in your blog. You can gain money by posting about a specific subject. There are sites that give you money by publishing post about theur product. The main thing about making mony blogging is that it doesnt come from day to night, it takes months, if not years, until you get a decent amount of profit.
Affiliate Marketing: This is one of the most easiest ways of getting started on the matter. I haven't tried this one, but alot of people say that it's a good way. An Affiliate Marketer is a person that reffers online shoppers to different product, gainig a percentage o f the proffit. Is vary easy because you don't have to have a product to sell or anything like that, you just hav to provide a buyer to a product and gain a part of the money. You can write a artcile about the product, or talk about it in a social network, what matters is that you connect a buyer and a seller.
Write Web Articles: This is a good way of making online. Today many owners of popular websites and blogs don't have time or don't want to write an article for their blog or website so they search for other writer that are willing to write articles for them in exchange for money. Sometimes you have to ghostwrite for them, but this job normaly gain a good money and normally your asked to write more than one article. The hardest thing is to get a contract with someone. You have to make aware that you exist, so make publicity by putting a link in yout signatures in forums, put yourself as worker in job and freelancers sites, etc.. After you get a contract everything will be easier, just write an article and see the money coming

This are the 4 ways that I think that will help you more. Fell free to discuss other ideas on how to make money online on the comments.

The Beginning

2011-08-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone

I've been thinking a long time about creating a blog about Computer & the Internet. I'm sure there are a lot of blogs out there about this matter, but I'm sure their aren't exactly like this one. The purpose of this blog is to help the ordinary people and the more experts on the Internet with their regular problems, giving tips and advices, inform people and give news in the technology world and encourage to them try new things on the web.

I hope this blogs helps you in anything.