WUKARI1 BLOG

How to access Gmail offline

2011-09-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

How to access Gmail offline

Google has been on-again, off-again with providing its Gmail users with offline access, but today it announced a new, HTML5-based solution for people who need to manage their inbox off the grid.
After months of testing, Google is rolling out offline access for Docs, Calendar, and Gmail. While Docs and Calendar aren't immediately available, Chrome users can enable Gmail offline right now. Here's how:

(Credit: Official Google Blog)

Head to the Chrome Web Store and install the new Offline Gmail app. Once installed, open a new tab and launch the app.
You'll be asked to allow offline mail storage. This is important: if you approve, your inbox data will be stored on the computer you're using--do not allow offline mail storage on a public computer. If you allow, Offline Gmail will launch and start backing up your inbox.

When you're offline, simply launch Chrome and head to the Offline Gmail app. You'll be able to write e-mails, respond, read, apply labels and stars, and archive messages. Once you reconnect to the Internet, the messages you composed offline will be sent.
A few things to note:

Depending on how much e-mail you have, Offline Gmail will store three to seven days worth of messages and all starred e-mails. So if you need a specific older e-mail available offline, be sure to star it.
If you'd like to delete your offline inbox from the computer you installed it on, you can. In the Chrome address bar, type chrome://settings/cookies and press Enter. Then, search for "mail.google.com." Hover over all the search results and click the "X" to delete them.
Uninstalling the Chrome app alone will not remove offline data.

10 Free Ways to Speed Up Your PC

2011-05-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

10 Free Ways to Speed Up Your PC

Does it feel like you can make a pot of coffee and clean the kitchen all in the time it takes for your computer system to boot up? Do you find yourself daydreaming of dropping it off the top of your office building while you’re waiting for web pages to load? If it seems like your computer is running slower every day, here are some things to do to get your “old reliable” running in tip-top shape. Of course, budget-savvy Nerd Chicks are always looking for ways to save some dough, so we’ve made sure they are all free.

1. Get Rid of the Nasties

Viruses and spyware don’t always break your computer, but they do always slow it down. They’re more common than you may think, and can hang out in your system, gumming up the works, without you even knowing it. Microsoft Security Essentials is a great, easy, all-in-one solution to keep your computer healthy and running in top form. Download it here.

2. Update Your OS

Windows issues updates all the time. These can patch holes in the software, closing vulnerabilities that viruses and spyware exploit, and generally make Windows run better. If you’re running Windows XP, right click on the My Computer icon on the desktop, select Properties and click on the Automatic Updates tab. Make sure you set them to download and install automatically.
Related: Smishing: The Latest Identity Theft Threat

3. Purge “Bloatware"

Still have that Norton Trial software installed from when you bought your machine three years ago? Get rid of it! Every time it pops up a window “reminding” you to buy it, I’m guessing a little voice in your head mutters unpleasant things. It’s also slowing down your system as the antiquated software runs in the background. Search for “Norton Removal Tool” (or “McAfee Removal Tool”) to make sure that you get the software fully uninstalled.

4. Speed Your Startup

MSConfig is a tool built in to most versions of Windows. Even novice computer surfers can use this tool to stop programs from starting automatically every time you boot up. While certain things are necessary for Windows to function, if your system is trying to turn on iTunes, your printer, and Adobe every time it boots up, the poor thing’s got a lot of things to get going before it can launch your Sudoku. Click the "Start" button. If you have a search option, type “msconfig” into the search field. If you don’t have a search option, but have a “Run” button on the startup menu, click that instead. When you do this, a window will appear on screen with the word "Run:" next to a blank text field. Type "msconfig" in the blank text field and press "Enter". Click the "Startup" tab at the top of the menu. Uncheck the boxes next to programs that you don't need during startup – but only programs you recognize! Click the "Apply" button, then select "OK", and restart your computer. I can almost hear your computer sighing in relief from here.

5. Defrag Your Hard Drive

Every time you save a file, or update software, your hard drive stores each new thing in chronological order. This means that when you launch Word, your system has to search all over your hard drive to find all the pieces that have been stored over the months, or years. Defragging simply means that your hard drive will take all the “like” things and put them together, allowing programs to launch and work faster. Windows 7 comes configured to defrag automatically, however Windows XP users will need to start the process manually. From the Start menu, right-click the “My Computer” option. Select “Manage” and choose disk defragmenter under the Storage section. Keep in mind that the process can take several hours, so set it to run at night. Also, remember to disable your system’s hibernate mode & screen saver before starting. When the process is complete, restart your PC.
Related: Which Kinds of Posts are Most Popular on Facebook

6. Repair the Registry

Your system’s registry is like your hard drive’s table of contents. If there are incorrect entries, it can take your drive longer to find all the pieces of data it needs to launch and run programs. Glary Utilities is a great free application that you can install to quickly and easily fix registry errors and optimize your system’s performance. Download the free version here.

7. Clear Out the Cookies

Every time you visit a website, it stores little pieces of itself, or programs, on your system. The idea is that the next time you visit the site it will load that content faster. The problem is that it’s rare that we return to the same sites and see the same things over and over again. Instead, the process of digging through several MBs of temporary internet files will lead all websites to load more slowly. Clear out your cache with CCleaner , a top rated free software program for cleaning out temporary files and making your system run at its best. One tip: use the cookies tab to select cookies you want to keep from sites you visit often and/or want to continue to login to automatically (like your email, or your bank).

8. Clean it, No Really!

Your computer has a fan in it that draws in air to cool the CPU and components. If this fan or vent becomes clogged with dust, pet hair, or other nasties, your system can overheat, causing it to run more sluggishly and eventually break. Grab a can of air and take your PC outside for a field trip. Don’t just blow into the intake vent: open the case, don’t blow air too closely at the components, and blow dust away from the case.
Related: Best Online Movie and TV Sites

9. Ditch Internet Explorer

There are many alternative browsers you can use to access the Internet. Most techies agree that Google’s Chrome is the fastest option that doesn’t compromise compatibility.

10. If all else fails…

A surefire way to ensure that your system is running as close to good-as-new as you can hope to get is to back up your data, format your hard drive, and reinstall Windows. Keep in mind that you will need to reinstall all of your software, including office. Don’t forget to install your anti-virus and anti-spyware before surfing the net!
Getting on a regular maintenance schedule will save you, and your trusty computer, much pain and suffering. Especially if these tips keep you from drop kicking your PC off the roof! If you’re struggling with any of these steps, or want more info, check out my website, www.callnerds.com.

Dropped your phone in water? Next is What?

2011-03-01T04:55:00.000-08:00

Accidents happen with phones and water but it doesn’t always mean that all hope is lost. Below is a brief guide as to what you should do if your phone has been totally immersed in water.
1. Take the phone out of the water as quickly as possible.
2. Do not attempt to switch it on as this may cause further damage.
3. Remove the battery as quickly as you can, also remove the memory and sim cards.
4. If dropped in fresh water dry it off with a towel. If dropped in salt water rinse it thoroughly with fresh water. I know it sounds crazy getting it wet again but salt can cause a lot of internal damage such as corrosion. Again dry with a towel. You may also want to rinse it if you dropped it in a toilet.
5. Place the phone, battery and it’s wet accessories in a plastic container (like a lunch box) and completely cover it with uncooked rice, use plenty of it. Again this sounds crazy but rice has desiccating properties that help draw the water out of the phone. Do not place a lid on the container.
6. Place the container somewhere very warm and dry for at least 3 days. An airing cupboard is often the ideal place.
7. Do not use a hair dryer directly on the phone to speed up the process. Too much heat can cause even more damage.
This isn’t guaranteed to work but many people have successfully revived their phones and retrieved their data using this method.
Keep in mind that your phone is on borrowed time after you do this. Make it your first priority to retrieve any data that you would like to keep. It may only work for a few minutes, days, weeks, months or it may even last years.
You should monitor the phone carefully during charging. If it gets very hot the battery may be damaged and should be replaced.
After any exposure to water you no longer have a warranty as water damage is not covered. Any insurance policies on the phone may also be voided unless you are covered for accidental damage.
A more efficient alternative to rice is silica gel. You most likely won’t have enough of the stuff to hand when the accident happens but it is good to use. Silica gel can be bought from electronic wholesalers like this example.
Thanks to shuntfield for this information.

RUNNING SKYPE FROM A FLASH DRIVE

2010-07-26T17:26:00.001-07:00

Using Skype could keep your phone bill down, but it isn’t portable—or is it? Mark O’Neill from Makeuseof.com explains how to run Skype from a USB flash drive so you can connect with your contacts anywhere. He outlines 7 steps. Here are the first 3:

1. The first step is to make the folder on your USB stick where it will all stay. So call it whatever you want. Let’s call it “Portable Skype” for example. But you can give it whatever name you want.

2. Now go to the installed Skype app on your computer (normally located at C:\Program Files\Skype) and look for a file called Skype.exe. Right-click and copy that file. Do not move it anywhere. Just right-click and copy.

3. Now go to the “Portable Skype” folder and insert that copied “Skype.exe” file into the “Portable Skype” folder.

4. In the “Portable Skype” folder, make a new sub-folder called data

5. Inside the “data” folder, make a new text document using Notepad or something similar. Name the file skype.bat

6. Open this file up and insert the following line: skype.exe /datapath:”Data” /removable

7. Save and close the file. That’s it. You’re done. You now have a portable version of Skype.

I tested this by moving the whole lot onto a USB stick and then launching it from there. It launched immediately but the firewall asked me if I wanted to let it pass. So you would need to configure the firewall of the computer you would be using the portable Skype on to allow the app through.

There is an interesting thread on PortableApps about what should be put on the skype.bat file. If you want to fine-tune the file, you might want to read the thread.

This is just a “rough and ready” hack to put Skype on your USB stick and how to make skype portable app. Please note, future releases of Skype may cause this hack to stop working. I am hoping that Skype will eventually bring out an official portable version that works for ALL portable USB sticks, not just the U3.

How To Connect A Laptop To A TV

2010-07-11T09:56:00.000-07:00

There are many times when I would like to share pictures, video, or games from my laptop or PC with my friends and family. The problem is that its quite hard to get everyone around a small computer screen let alone keep them interested for very long. Wouldn’t it be much better if you could connect your computer to your TV so everyone could view your media with ease and comfort?

It is indeed a much better solution and can be a lot of fun for everyone. So I will explain everything you need to do in order to connect your laptop or PC to your television.

There are a variety of different ways you can connect your computer to your TV. All will involve the use of different types of cables. Which cable you use will depend on a couple of different factors:

1.What type of connections your laptop/PC has

2.What type of connections your television has

The following is a list of the different types of cables/connections you will have to choose from with picture quality ranging from highest to lowest:

1.HDMI
2.DVI
3.VGA
4.S-Video
5.Composite/RCA

1. “High Definition Multimedia Interface” or HDMI is the highest quality connection now. All HDTVs will have this connection though chances are your laptop or computer will not. If you do happen to have an HDMI connection on your computer then by all means, use this connection. If you do not have HDMI on your computer you can use an adapter to convert HDMI to DVI.

2. DVI stands for “Digital Video Interface” and has pretty much been the standard for connecting computer monitors since about 2003. Your computer will most likely have this connection. HDTVs should also have this connection. If you wish to use audio with a DVI connection you must use a seperate audio cable. A cable from phones output connected to red and white audio in on your TV will work great!

3. VGA or “Video Graphics Array” connections are the most common video connections found on laptops and PC’s. HDTVs may have a VGA connection which means you simply need to connect the cable between your computer and televsion. However, older televisions will not have a VGA connection and will require a PC to television converter. There are USB converters that allow you to use this method. Just like DVI, VGA does not carry a audio signal. Just use the same method from above for connecting audio from your phones output.

4. S-Video or “Super Video” has been around for quite some time now. Some laptops and computer graphics cards will have a S-Video connection. Most televisions will also have a S-Video connection. This isn’t the best quality connection but its also not the lowest quality. S-video has the same audio limitation as the above two examples. Again, just use your phones output and a phones to RCA cable or adapter.

5. Composite connections, sometimes referred to as RCA connections, are the yellow, red, and white connections that most people will be familiar with. Red is right analog audio, and white is left analog audio. Yellow is composite video. This will be the lowest quality connection to use. If your computer has no RCA connections, you can use an RCA to S-Video cable.

Connecting your laptop or PC to your television is pretty simple. Just check both your computer and television to find out what connections they have in common. If by some chance you have no connections matching up, you can always buy adapters to make your connection types match.

Once you’ve passed the stage of physically connecting your computer to your television you’ll have to select the correct input on your TV. Just like when using your DVD player, select the input that your computer is connected to using your remote. This input might be called something like AV1 or AV2. You should see this on the television screen.

If your picture seems distorted, play around with the pixel settings on your TV or change the resolution. New HDTVs will have a few different resolution settings. Older TVs may only have one resolution setting. In this case, adjust your computer resolution until the picture looks good.

Following the steps above will have you sharing media on your TV in no time. There’s nothing better than a 50″ plasma picture frame in the middle of your living room

6 Things You Should Never Reveal on Facebook

2010-07-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

By Kathy Kristof | Jun 23, 2010 |

The whole social networking phenomenon has millions of Americans sharing their photos, favorite songs and details about their class reunions on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and dozens of similar sites. But there are a handful of personal details that you should never say if you don’t want criminals — cyber or otherwise — to rob you blind, according to Beth Givens, executive director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
The folks at Insure.com also say that ill-advised Facebook postings increasingly can get your insurance cancelled or cause you to pay dramatically more for everything from auto to life insurance coverage. By now almost everybody knows that those drunken party photos could cost you a job, too.
You can certainly enjoy networking and sharing photos, but you should know that sharing some information puts you at risk. What should you never say on Facebook, Twitter or any other social networking site?

Your birth date and place. Sure, you can say what day you were born, but if you provide the year and where you were born too, you’ve just given identity thieves a key to stealing your financial life, said Givens. A study done by Carnegie Mellon showed that a date and place of birth could be used to predict most — and sometimes all — of the numbers in your Social Security number, she said.

Vacation plans. There may be a better way to say “Rob me, please” than posting something along the lines of: “Count-down to Maui! Two days and Ritz Carlton, here we come!” on Twitter. But it’s hard to think of one. Post the photos on Facebook when you return, if you like. But don’t invite criminals in by telling them specifically when you’ll be gone.

Home address. Do I have to elaborate? A study recently released by the Ponemon Institute found that users of Social Media sites were at greater risk of physical and identity theft because of the information they were sharing. Some 40% listed their home address on the sites; 65% didn’t even attempt to block out strangers with privacy settings. And 60% said they weren’t confident that their “friends” were really just people they know.

Confessionals. You may hate your job; lie on your taxes; or be a recreational user of illicit drugs, but this is no place to confess. Employers commonly peruse social networking sites to determine who to hire — and, sometimes, who to fire. Need proof? In just the past few weeks, an emergency dispatcher was fired in Wisconsin for revealing drug use; a waitress got canned for complaining about customers and the Pittsburgh Pirate’s mascot was dumped for bashing the team on Facebook. One study done last year estimated that 8% of companies fired someone for “misuse” of social media.

Password clues. If you’ve got online accounts, you’ve probably answered a dozen different security questions, telling your bank or brokerage firm your Mom’s maiden name; the church you were married in; or the name of your favorite song. Got that same stuff on the information page of your Facebook profile? You’re giving crooks an easy way to guess your passwords.

Risky behaviors. You take your classic Camaro out for street racing, soar above the hills in a hang glider, or smoke like a chimney? Insurers are increasingly turning to the web to figure out whether their applicants and customers are putting their lives or property at risk, according to Insure.com. So far, there’s no efficient way to collect the data, so cancellations and rate hikes are rare. But the technology is fast evolving, according to a paper written by Celent, a financial services research and consulting firm.

2010-05-31T14:18:00.001-07:00

Click Here!

Seven tips for staying safe on Facebook

2010-05-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

The virtual world can be a dangerous one. Follow our seven simple steps to ensure you stay safe on Facebook.Skip related content

RELATED PHOTOS / VIDEOS

Seven ways to stay safe on FacebookEnlarge photo

1. Hide yourself from the public

This isn’t as straightforward as you might think and many people are under the impression that they are already hidden. But if you don’t apply these settings in multiple categories, other people will still be able to see your information. This is especially important for children’s Facebook accounts.

To protect yourself, click Account > Privacy settings > Profile information. Adjust your privacy settings for all 12 categories. Then click Back to Privacy > Contact information. Adjust your privacy settings for all 9 categories.

2. Don't let search engines find you

To help prevent strangers from accessing your page, go to Account > Privacy settings > Search. Select ‘Only friends’ for Facebook search results. Make sure the box for public search results isn't checked either.

3. Don’t allow Facebook to hand over your details to other companies

Unless you tell them not to, Facebook will give companies access to your profiles for research and advertising purposes. They can even use your details in the adverts themselves.

To stop Facebook from handing over your details, click Account > Privacy Settings > Applications and websites. Next to ‘Instant Personalisation Pilot Program’ click ‘Edit setting’. Make sure the box is not ticked at the bottom of the screen. To make sure you don’t appear in any adverts, go to Account > Account Settings > Facebook Adverts. Select ‘no one’ on ‘Allow ads on platform pages to show my information to’ and ‘Show my social actions in Facebook ads to’.

4. Make sure nobody else is using your account

This is a new feature which was rolled out by Facebook last week. It allows you to monitor which devices are being used to access your account.

Go to Account > Account settings > Account security. Click ‘Would you like to receive notifications for logins from new devices?’ and then click ‘Yes’ below.

Log out and log back in. You will be asked to name the device you are using. Then it will send you an email. Do this with each device you use to access your Facebook account. From now on, if anyone logs in to your account from a device you don’t use, you’ll receive an email telling you. If this happens, change your password straight away and report it to Facebook via the Help Centre.

5. Don’t put your full date of birth in your profile

It's an ideal target for identity thieves, who could use it to obtain more information about you and potentially gain access to your bank or credit card account. If you've already entered a birth date, go to your profile page and click on the ‘Info’ tab, then on ‘Edit Information’. Under the Basic Information section, choose to show only the month and day or no birthday at all.

6. Protect yourself from your friends

When your Facebook friends use applications they may be inadvertently sharing your details with third parties.

To protect yourself, click Account > Privacy Settings > Applications and websites > What your friends can share about you. Untick all of the boxes and then save your changes.

7. Don’t advertise your home

You should make sure you never post your full address on Facebook and certainly don’t put it under your ‘Info’ section.

If you’re going away on holiday, although tempting, it’s best not to advertise it on your Facebook page, or even to mention it on your friends’ pages. This is especially crucial if you or your friends’ profiles can be accessed by people not listed as friends. There have been numerous instances where people have gone away and returned to an empty home, just because they shared too much information on social media

Download Music for Free at Jamendo

2009-04-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

If someone had told me a couple years ago you can legally download music for free, I’d wink twice and give him an elbow nudge. Times, they have a changed!

Simon Slangen from MakeUseOf.com—which is quickly becoming one of my favourite sites—recently reviewed four sites where you can download free music. Here’s what he had to say about Jamendo:

“All the music available on Jamendo is released under the Creative Commons license. This means that it can be freely listened to and used and redistributed under the same license.

The artists then get rewarded via user donations and revenues from the Jamendo’s commercial programs and partnerships.

You can browse through over 150,000 tracks by artist, album and genre, or you can use the tags for quick navigation.

All of the tracks and albums are available for download without any needed registration and can be shared over the internet using widgets.”

Learn about more sites to download free music here.

Boost Computer Performance with This Easy Check

2009-04-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

There’s little in life more frustrating than a painfully slow computer. I know—I’m currently using one. If you’re using Windows, you can improve your machine’s performance by ensuring your IDE drives aren’t operating in a slow, ineffective transfer mode.

From MakeUseOf.com via Lifehacker:

“When fresh from the box—or your workbench— your computer should have had all it's IDE drives set in Direct Memory Access mode. This is a far speedier method of disk access than Programmed Input/Output mode. The technical side of the two modes is dense but let it suffice: DMA is a the fast and preferred method and PIO mode is the slower method Windows defaults to after having six redundancy checks fail. Things like power outages, doing a hard reset and other disk interruptions can cause these errors. Your Windows box may be operating in the slower transfer mode because mistakenly thinks that your system is unstable or that there is something wrong with your disks. The fix for your computer downshifting into PIO mode is simple. Go to your Control Panel, click on the System icon, open up your Device Manager and pull up the properties for your Primary and Secondary IDE channels. Under the Advanced settings tab you'll be able to set the Transfer Mode to "DMA if available". Reboot and you should be in business. MakeUseOf has a full step by step guide with screenshots if you'd like a visual reference.”

3 Easy Tools to Record Streaming Music as MP3 Files

2009-04-13T13:15:00.000-07:00

Until now I never even considered making MP3 files from streaming music. My life is forever changed. If you’d like in on this action, check out these three tools (step-by-step instructions on the source site):

1. ClipInc 4

ClipInc is available for Windows. It comes with hundreds of preset internet radio stations, and with the free version you can record up to three audio streams simultaneously.

2. Streamripper

Streamripper is a plugin for Winamp and as such it is platform independent.

3. TheLastRipper

TheLastRipper is available for Windows, Linux, and in a beta version for OSX. What really makes this tool a winner is that you don’t have to deal with commercials, badly cut tracks or alternating quality.

Speed Up Your Computer’s Performance

2009-04-13T13:12:00.002-07:00

In today’s super fast paced world, we expect everything to work instantly. Can you imagine how much patience a dialup connection once took, let alone life before the Internet?

A slow computer is enough to drive one bonkers.

There are a few simple ways to optimize your computer’s performance. Basically, it’s about getting rid of things you thought you already got rid of.

The blog Computer Tips n Tricks offers the following suggestions:

1) Check registry files to make sure they are properly installed and in good working order (you can use what is called a registry scanner to do this).

2) Remove icons you don’t need or use from your desktop. This will free up memory and increase the speed of your computer.

3) Deleting a program alone is not enough. Use a program uninstaller to remove all traces of unwanted programs.

4) Make sure to remove all unwanted programs from the taskbar as well.

Protect Your Laptop from Data Loss Disasters

2009-04-13T13:12:00.001-07:00

Way back, like ten years ago, when I went to school, we still used a pen and paper to write notes. Nowadays, laptops are the norm.

And while they are super convenient and efficient in many ways, they are not perfect. As with all computers, the biggest risk is the potential loss of data. And there is nothing as frustrating, and true, as the excuse “the computer ate my homework”.

So whether you’re a student, or someone who simply prefers to work on a laptop, it’s good to keep the following in mind:

Be gentle. Laptops are reasonably robust, but they do not always survive rough handling.
Backup. At least once a week if not more on a CD, DVD, USB flash drive or online.
Keep your anti-virus up –to-date and run it regularly.
Use the auto save function. Losing a document you have spent hours slaving over is devastating.
Pay attention to your battery. If your computer suddenly shuts off, you may lose your work.

Photo, wvs

Run Skype from Your Flash Drive

2009-03-22T18:57:00.000-07:00

3. Now go to the “Portable Skype” folder and insert that copied “Skype.exe” file into the “Portable Skype” folder.

Read the remaining 4 steps to run Skype from a flash drive here.

Optimize Your Hard Drive in 3 Easy Steps

2009-03-22T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hard drives have a way of filling up (completely independent of your own compulsive need to download, of course). CNET offers three strong tips to keep your machine running at top speed. Here’s the first:

“Step 1: Analyze your drive

First, identify how much disk space you're using with WinDirStat. This free software, based on the Linux application KDirStat, offers you an informative visual display of your hard-drive usage. It can also analyze your local devices, but let's for now stay focused on just your local drive. Depending on the size of your disk, the initial WinDirStat scan may take quite a while. Grab a cup of coffee and come back.

When you return, you'll see all of your files (for the drive or directory you decided to scan) displayed in a rainbow of colors. WinDirStat assigns colors to each file type, such as MP3, ZIP, EXE, JPG, and so on. By default, the files that take up the most space are colored blue, the second heftiest are red, and the third largest green. After the first 10 color-labeled file types, the rest appear in gray--but you can change these settings and colors through the Options menu.

Once you've identified where your disk space has gone, you can then more easily decide where you can save space. WinDirStat is loaded with features for managing your files, such as the ability to automatically delete files without even bothering with the Recycle Bin.”

How to Fix Common Problems with Your Laptop

2009-03-17T08:40:00.000-07:00

Posted at 21:38, 06/05/2008 by LauraWilliams
Your laptop was made for durability, but it has its limits. You’ll likely end up paying for that—unless you know what’s wrong and how to fix it.
Thanks to laptopmag.com, it’s simple to identify and address notebook issues.

The site lists 11 common laptop complaints (and fixes!) like:

My computer crashed. Help!

What’s the deal with my slow hard drive?
I sure do wish my keyboard wasn’t missing keys.
Check it out and save yourself some money.
See more like this: Laptops, Computers

Reduce Computer Monitor Eye Strain in Two Easy Steps

2009-03-17T08:34:00.000-07:00

Ever notice how words on your computer monitor start to look like the last line of a medical eye exam by the end of the day? Even if you wear prescription eye glasses—or the cheapo ones they sell at the pharmacy—you still may find yourself a victim of computer vision syndrome. QuickOnlineTips has the remedy:
Turn on ClearType in Microsoft Windows XP This will improve the font display quality and readability on color LCD displays with a digital interface, such as those in laptops and high-quality flat panel displays. Readability on CRT monitors can also be improved.
Increase your Monitor Refresh Rate See what is the optimal refresh rate for your monitor and reduce flicker induced eyestrain and headache.

Protect Your Laptop from Data Loss Disasters

2009-03-17T08:33:00.000-07:00

Way back, like ten years ago, when I went to school, we still used a pen and paper to write notes. Nowadays, laptops are the norm.

And while they are super convenient and efficient in many ways, they are not perfect. As with all computers, the biggest risk is the potential loss of data. And there is nothing as frustrating, and true, as the excuse “the computer ate my homework”.

So whether you’re a student, or someone who simply prefers to work on a laptop, it’s good to keep the following in mind:
Be gentle. Laptops are reasonably robust, but they do not always survive rough handling.
Backup. At least once a week if not more on a CD, DVD, USB flash drive or online.
Keep your anti-virus up –to-date and run it regularly.
Use the auto save function. Losing a document you have spent hours slaving over is devastating.
Pay attention to your battery. If your computer suddenly shuts off, you may lose your work.

Relieve the Pain of Mouse Clicking

2009-03-17T08:30:00.001-07:00

A couple of years ago I became ambidextrous, at least when it comes to using my mouse. That’s right. After what had become almost unbearable pain in my fingers, wrist and eventually elbow, I was able to successfully switch from being a righty to using my mouse with my left hand.

Apparently, hand pain from holding and clicking a mouse is a widespread phenomenon.

The old switcheroo, my personal route, probably offers the most immediate success. It takes a little getting used to, but not as long as you’d expect. A couple of weeks max should do the trick.

Other suggestions include the three fingered click, which relieves pressure from the tendon. Simply put your three middle fingers together and click.

You can also try draping the palm of your hand on top of the mouse and using the side of your hand to click.
If you have any other ideas, please feel free to share!

Photo, jmschemel

Saving Images When Right-Clicked is Disabled

2009-03-08T18:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to save a picture from a web site only to find you can’t? That’s because sites sometimes disable the right-click option, but that doesn’t mean you're out of luck.

Tipstrs explains:

“If you are on a web page where you want to download one of their images and they have disabled the right-click on the mouse, do this instead: left click on the image and hold the mouse button down. While still holding the left mouse button down, drag the mouse to your desktop and let the button up. Ta-da! The image will have been dragged to your desktop and you have downloaded this image even though right-click was disabled.”

How to Update Your iPod

2009-03-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

Apple periodically releases new software for the iPod that improves your listening experience. The updating process is different for Mac and PC users, but luckily, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for both on Apple’s website.

How to update iPod for Windows using Windows Vista, Windows XP or Windows 2000

Download and install the latest version of iTunes. When you have the latest version, use the iTunes menus to check for updates. On Windows choose Help > Check for Updates.
Connect your iPod to your computer using the USB or FireWire cable that came with your iPod and open iTunes if it is not already open.
In order to be updated on a PC, your iPod must be formatted for a PC. If it is not, you will receive a message stating that your iPod needs to be reformatted. If you receive this message, please read this article before proceeding. If you are unsure of your iPod's format, read this article.
If iTunes detects that a newer version of iPod software is available for your model, you will be prompted to download and install the new version. If the newest software has already been downloaded you may be prompted to install it.
Depending on the model iPod you have and whether you are using a USB or FireWire connection to connect your iPod, you may be asked to leave your iPod attached to the computer for the update to complete or you may be asked to connect the iPod to the iPod Power Adapter that came with your iPod (Note: not all iPod models ship with a power adapter). Be sure to follow the onscreen instructions to complete the update.
During the update process, you will notice an Apple logo and progress bar appear on the iPod display (Note: this may be difficult to see since the iPod's backlight will be turned off). Once this is completed, you can resume normal use of your iPod. If you notice a different icon on the iPod screen read this article and the follow the related instructions.

Avoid Screensaver Interruptions While Watching DVDs on a Computer

2009-03-08T18:09:00.001-07:00

That tropical screensaver doesn’t look quite so cool when it pops up midway through Season 3 of Lost. According to CNET editor Rick Broida, this usually happens when there’s more than one user account set up in Windows, and when Fast User Switching is enabled. Here’s how to prevent this:

Turn off Fast User Switching

This makes it possible to switch between users without first shutting down all your programs. If you’re the system’s only user—or if you don’t have multiple accounts set up—turn this option off to instantly eliminate the problem. Open the Windows Control Panel, and then access the User Accounts applet. Click “Change the way users log on or off,” then clear the “Use Fast User Switching” check box.

Tweak the power settings

If you need to keep Fast User Switching enabled, or you’re still having the problem, open the Windows Control Panel, and then access Power Options. Click the Advanced tab, then clear the check box for “Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby.” Go to the next step.

Strong-arm the screensaver

Right-click anywhere on your Windows Desktop, then click Properties in the menu that appears. (You can also click Start > Run, then type desk.cpl.) In the Display Properties window, click the Screen Saver tab, then clear the check box marked “On resume, password protect.”

Extend Laptop Battery Life by Keeping the Contacts Clean

2009-03-08T17:59:00.000-07:00

We’ve posted a few tips to extend your laptop battery life in the past, but this list from FriedBeef is even more comprehensive. The following tips were new to me:

Keep the battery contacts clean: Clean your battery’s metal contacts every couple of months with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol. This keeps the transfer of power from your battery more efficient.

Cut down external devices: USB devices (including your mouse) & WiFi drain down your laptop battery. Remove or shut them down when not in use. It goes without saying that charging other devices (like your iPod) with your laptop when on battery is a surefire way of quickly wiping out the charge on your laptop battery.

Run off a hard drive rather than CD/DVD: As power consuming as hard drives are, CD and DVD drives are worse. Even having one in the drive can be power consuming. They spin, taking power, even when they’re not actively being used.

Tips for Pain-Free Typing

2009-03-08T17:55:00.000-07:00

Shockingly, I spend a lot of hours of any given day at my computer. Even on days off, I just can’t seem to stay away.

But did you know that all of that typing can be detrimental to your health? Typing is one of those repetitive actions that can lead to chronic hand pain, and worse carpal tunnel syndrome.

The three basic tips, from About.com for better typing health are:

1) Don’t contort your hands. When reaching for shortcuts, use two hands if you cannot comfortably make the reach with one.

2) Keep wrists neutral.

3) Don’t rest your wrists on any surface (they should stay floating the entire time).

Another key is stretching. Stretch your hands, fingers and wrists several times a day to give them a little relief.

Use a Video as Your Screensaver or Wallpaper

2009-03-01T18:08:00.000-08:00

Want to see your mom doing karaoke every time you turn on your computer? You can!

Varun Kashyup explains:

“Well there is a tool from Microsoft that allows you to do just that. Its called Microsoft Video Screensaver.

The download requires you to verify the genuineness of your copy of Windows. Once that is done, the installation is simple and a breeze. You can then access ‘Video Screensaver’ from the ‘Display Properties’ box and then hopping over to the ‘Screen Saver’ tab.”

Click here to read the full article.

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Source: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/use-videos-as-screensaver-or-wallpaper-windows/

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