HOW-TO

A Definitive Guide to Longer Battery Life

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 11:47:00 +0000

Laptop batteries are like people--eventually and inevitably, they die. And like people, they don't obey Moore's Law--You can't expect next year's batteries to last twice as long as this year's. Battery technology may improve a bit over time (after all, there's plenty of financial incentive for better batteries), but, while interesting possibilities may pop up, don't expect major battery breakthroughs in the near future.

Although your battery will eventually die, proper care can put off the inevitable. Here's how to keep your laptop battery working for as long as possible. With luck, it could last until you need to replace that aging notebook (perhaps with a laptop having a longer battery life).

We've also included a few tips on keeping the battery going longer between charges, so you can work longer without AC power.

Don't Run It Down to Empty

Squeezing every drop of juice out of a lithium ion battery (the type used in today's laptops) strains and weakens it. Doing this once or twice won't kill the battery, but the cumulative effect of frequently emptying your battery will shorten its lifespan.

(There's actually an exception to this rule--a circumstance where you should run down the battery all the way. I'll get to that later.)

The good news: You probably can't run down the battery, anyway--at least not without going to a lot of trouble to do so. Most modern laptops are designed to shut down before the battery is empty.

In fact, Vista and Windows 7 come with a setting for just this purpose. To see it, click Start, type power, and select Power Options. Click any one of the Change plan settings links, then the Change advanced power settingslink. In the resulting dialog box, scroll down to and expand the Battery option. Then expand Critical battery level. The setting will probably be about 5 percent, which is a good place to leave it.

XP has no such native setting, although your laptop may have a vendor-supplied tool that does the same job.

Myth: You should never recharge your battery all the way.

There's considerable controversy on this point, and in researching this article I interviewed experts both for and against. But I've come down on the side of recharging all the way. The advantages of leaving home with a fully-charged battery--you can use your PC longer without AC power--are worth the slight risk of doing damage.

Keep It Cool and Give It a Rest

Heat breaks down the battery, and reduces its overall life.

When you use your laptop, make sure the vents are unblocked. Never work with the laptop on pillows or cushions. If possible, put it on a raised stand that allows for plenty of airflow.

Also, clean the vents every so often with a can of compressed air. You can buy this for a few dollars at any computer store. Be sure to follow the directions on the can, and do this only when the notebook is off.

If you're going to be working exclusively on AC power for a week or more, remove the battery first.

Otherwise, you'll be wearing out the battery--constantly charging and discharging it--at a time when you don't need to use it at all. You're also heating it up (see "Keep It Cool," above).

You don't want it too empty when you take it out. An unused battery loses power over time, and you don't want all the power to drain away, so remove it when it's at least half-charged.

Never remove the battery while the computer is on, or even in standby or sleep mode; doing so will crash your system and possibly damage your hardware. Even inserting a battery into a running laptop can damage the system. So only remove or reinsert the battery when the laptop is completely off or hibernating.

If you've never removed your laptop's battery and don't know how, check your documentation. (If you don't have it, you can probably find it online.) The instructions generally involve turning the laptop upside-down and holding down a button while you slide out the battery.

Myth: Refrigerate your battery.

Some people recommend you store it in the refrigerator, inside a plastic bag. While you should keep a battery cool, the last thing you want is a wet battery, and condensation is a real danger in the fridge. Instead, store it in a dry place at room temperature. A filing cabinet works fine.

You don't want the battery to go too long without exercise or let it empty out entirely. If you go without the battery for more than two months, put it in the PC and use it for a few hours, then remove it again.

Also, before you take the laptop on the road, reinsert the battery and let it charge for a few hours before unplugging the machine. Allow the battery time to get a full charge before you remove the AC power.

Heal a Sick Battery

Myth: You can rejuvenate a worn-out battery.

This isn't, strictly speaking, the case. You can't make old lithium hold more electrons than it can currently manage.

But if the battery is running out unexpectedly fast, or if your laptop is having trouble figuring out how much power it has left, you might be able to fix the battery's "gas gauge," so it at least gives a more accurate reading.

If you suspect the battery can't tell if it's charged or not, run it through a couple of cycles. Drain it of all its power (yes, this is the exception to the "don't drain the battery" rule mentioned above), recharge it to 100 percent, and then repeat.

But how do you drain the battery when Windows won't let you do just that? Don't bother with the settings described above. They're not safe (you might forget to change them back), they may not be getting an accurate reading, and they quite possibly won't let you set the critical battery level to 0 percent. (If they did, it would crash Windows.)

Instead, unplug your AC power and keep your laptop running (you can work on it if you like) until it automatically hibernates. Then reboot your PC back and go directly to the system setup program.

I can't tell you exactly how to get there; each computer is different. Turn on your PC and look for an onscreen message (one of the first you'll see) that says something like "Press the X key for setup." Immediately press the designated key.

It may take a couple of times to get the timing right. If there isn't enough power to let it boot, plug in AC until you're at the setup program, then unplug it.

Leave the notebook on until it shuts off. This can take some time (45 minutes on my laptop); setup uses a lot less power than Windows.

Once the PC is off, plug in the AC power, then wait a few hours before rebooting to Windows and making sure you've got a full recharge.

Repeat the process once or twice.

With luck and proper care, your battery will still be useful when you're looking for a new laptop.

Longer Life Between Charges

The tips above should lengthen the time before you need to replace your laptop's battery. But on a daily basis, we're far more concerned with another type of battery life: how long we can keep our laptop running without AC power. You may know most of the following tips already, but it never hurts to refresh (or recharge) your memory.

Dim your screen: Your laptop's backlight requires a lot of juice. Keep it as dim as you can comfortably read it.

Shut off unneeded hardware: Turn off your Bluetooth, and if you're not using the Internet, turn off your Wi-Fi receiver, as well. Don't use an external mouse or other device. And muting the PC's sound system not only saves power, it avoids annoying everyone else in the café.

Avoid multitasking

Run as few programs as you can get away with. If possible, stick to the one application (word processor, browser, or whatever) you're currently using, plus your antivirus and firewall in the background. And if you're not on the Internet, you don't need those two.

Avoid multimedia : Save chores like photo editing and watching old Daily Show videos for when you have AC power. And if you must listen to music, use your iPod (or similar device).

Know when to sleep and when to hibernate: You need to think about when you want to save power by sending your laptop into Standby or Sleep mode, and when you want to hibernate it. There's a difference. XP's Standby and Vista and Windows 7's Sleep modes keep your PC on, using some power, but less of it than in normal use. Hibernate saves the PC's state to the hard drive, then shuts it off entirely, so that no power is used. On the other hand, Windows takes much longer--sometimes minutes--to go into and come out of hibernation. And those are minutes that the battery is draining heavily and you can't work. XP's Standby mode isn't really all that efficient. If your laptop will be inactive for more than about half an hour, hibernate it. Otherwise, use Standby. But Vista and Windows 7 do a much better job with their Sleep mode. Don't bother hibernating your PC unless you think you're going to go more than two or three hours without using it.

Myth: Adding RAM saves battery life.

True, more RAM means less hard drive access, and the hard drive uses a lot of electricity. But RAM uses electricity as well, and unless you're doing a lot of multitasking (not a good idea when you're on battery power), more RAM won't reduce hard drive use.

Lincoln Spector

How to Recover Your Lost Gadgets

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:02:00 +0000

The best time to worry about cell phone security is now, before your phone disappears. By taking some sensible precautions, you can make your phone easy to recover, and even safeguard your data.

Losing a phone actually entails three separate losses: the hardware itself, the data on the device, and the security that you would normally enjoy by maintaining control over your data.
To minimize the collective impact that these losses can have on your life, you should address each of the three facets separately. First, take steps to make your phone recoverable, or at least easily replaceable, in the event that it goes AWOL. Second, keep an up-to-date backup copy of the data on the phone in a safe place. Third, make sure that nobody else can access that data if your phone gets lost or stolen.

Lock Down Your Phone

Protect your Android phone by setting an unlock pattern like this one to confound thieves and interlopers.

Before we consider various fancy-pants tricks for securing and finding a lost phone, let's focus on the most basic task: setting a password.
Nearly every cell phone on earth--smart or otherwise--has some kind of passcode protection built in, yet almost nobody uses the feature because it adds an annoying 3-second delay to the process of making a call. Well, get over it. Set a password--or an "unlock pattern," if you're an Android user. Do it now, and you'll avoid worrying later on whether someone out there is reading through your e-mail or accessing your Facebook account on your lost phone.

Make Your Phone Recoverable (or Easily Replaceable)

Usually, losing a cell phone is a short-term problem. (When in doubt, check under your car seat.) But even if your handset ends up wandering miles away in the hands of a stranger, you may be able to get it back. Regardless, taking the right precautions ahead of time can minimize the various expenses associated with losing the device.
The first step in taking the sting out of losing your mobile phone is to shell out a few dollars per month for handset insurance from your carrier. When you buy a new phone, do this at the same time. If you have a phone but haven't yet signed up for insurance through your carrier, do so now. For a monthly fee of about $8 (for smartphones), the insurance will guarantee you a quick, free replacement if you lose the phone--and it will get you up and running if you do something silly like run over the handset with a motorcycle.
Of course, collecting on your handset insurance is a last resort if you lose your phone. The better outcome is to find the device quickly after it vanishes. Fortunately, you have plenty of good options for doing this.

Where's My Droid, a free download from Android Market, makes your phone ring so you can find it easily.

If you lose your phone in some mundane way, such as by dropping it under a coffee table, and you're sure it must be nearby but you just can't find it, you can call it from another phone so that it will ring until you can home in on it. If you frequently set your handset to silent mode, you can obtain any of several cheap or free apps (available for most smartphone platforms) designed to override the phone's current settings and make it ring at full volume whenever it goes into hiding.
For Android users, the free Where's My Droid is a great first choice among quick locator apps. This Android Market download lets you set up a passphrase that you can use to activate a loud ring on your phone. Just borrow a friend's phone and send your passphrase via SMS (or use your phone's SMS e-mail address, such as 4155551212@vtext.com), and your phone will automatically adjust its ringtone to maximum volume and ring for a preset length of time--or until you find it and tell it to stop.

Where's My Phone enables a Good Samaritan finder to call you and return your BlackBerry.

BlackBerry users have a number of choices as well. The best free option is Where's My Phone, available from the BlackBerry App World store as a feature-limited version of a more robust paid app. With the free version, you can trigger a loud alarm via e-mail to help you find your BlackBerry. The $4 (Rs 190 approx.) paid version adds more features, such as GPS location.
For iPhone users, a 99-cent (Rs 45 approx.) app called Beep My Cell offers similar functionality, along with the option to add a custom message for anyone who finds the device (if it's not where you thought it was). Rather than relying on e-mail or text messages to trigger its beeping, you log in to beepmycell.com and click Beep My Cell to start up the noise.
Another low-cost utility is PhoneFinder With Google Maps, which brings this functionality to Windows Mobile handsets. A text message to this $1.50 (Rs 70 approx) (app causes PhoneFinder to kick on the ringer and transmit the phone's GPS location to the handset that sent the SMS, giving you two ways to look for it at once.

What to Do If Your Phone Goes Missing (Contd)

Create a Smartphone Backup

The more extensively you use your cell phone, the more completely you depend on the data it stores. So regularly backing up your phone makes sense.
Often the easiest way to perform a backup is by using a cable connection: Most smartphones--including models ranging from iPhones to BlackBerrys to Palm WebOS phones (including the Pre) to Windows Mobile devices--come with syncing utilities that are designed to create a complete backup of the phone's contents. Thanks to those programs, if you sync your phone regularly, you should always have a recent copy of your files, contacts, messages, and photos safely stored on your computer. Do this religiously.
Unfortunately, though, not all smartphones encourage you to synchronize and back up your data manually. The worst offenders in this regard are Android phones, which tend to behave a lot like stand-alone computers; for this reason it's easy to neglect syncing the phone to a desktop PC for months on end. Though Android is designed to work seamlessly with Google's cloud-based apps (such as Gmail, Calendar, and Contacts), which automatically sync all of your data to the Web, most of the data stored on your device won't automatically sync to anything.

MyBackup Pro, a $5 (Rs 230 approx.)app, archives the entire contents of your Android phone on a Web-based server.

A number of backup apps are available for Android, but my favorite is MyBackup Pro. This app wirelessly syncs all of your Android phone's data--including apps, contacts, bookmarks, SMS messages, pictures, and music playlists--to a secure server. If your phone is lost, stolen, or damaged, you can download the data onto a replacement phone and pick up where you left off.

Adopt Advanced Security Measures for Your Gear

Dealing with a misplaced phone that you know is somewhere in your own home or at a friend's house is no big deal. But if you leave your phone in a cab or unwittingly drop it on the sidewalk, you will probably need more-advanced recovery and protection features to get it back and keep its contents safe. Fortunately, a few cool programs and services are available that cover every major smartphone platform. They aren't free--but if your data is valuable to you, they're worth paying for.

TenCube's WaveSecure protects Android, BlackBerry, Symbian S60, and Windows Mobile phones.

If you want protection across multiple smartphone platforms, your best option is TenCube's WaveSecure. Available for Android, BlackBerry, Symbian S60, and Windows Mobile phones, WaveSecure provides as complete a package of protection as you can hope to have for a device that's prone to wandering away.
For $20 (Rs 900 approx.) annually, WaveSecure enables you to track the location of your phone, monitor its call log, and detect whether someone has changed its SIM card, all via a Web browser. In the event that your phone is lost or stolen, you will quickly have a pretty clear idea of where it is and what it's up to.
WaveSecure also lets you remotely back up the contents of your phone to the secure server and then wipe all of your data from the device. So even if the phone falls into the hands of a thief, none of your personal information will be at risk. After removing the data, you can either turn the location information over to the authorities in hopes of getting your phone back (don't count on it) or forget the stolen handset and use the insurance you bought from your carrier to purchase a replacement, and then download the backup of your data onto the new device.
Apple offers a similar tracking service, called Find My iPhone, for iPhone users. But you can get Find My iPhone only as a component of Apple's MobileMe service, which costs a whopping $99 per year (Rs 4500 approx.)
To its credit, the Find My iPhone interface is relatively slick and works very well. Like WaveSecure, Find My iPhone lets you track your phone's whereabouts and send a custom message to whoever may be holding it at the moment. It also allows you to wipe out the phone's contents remotely and lock the handset with a passcode remotely (in the event that you failed to set one up before losing the device).
Palm Pre users can obtain similar protection by signing up for Where Is My Pre. The premium version of this service, which costs $2 (Rs 90 approx.)per month, enables you to view your phone's location on a map, send messages to the device, modify the phone's preferences remotely, and even take pictures with the phone's Webcam remotely to see who's holding it.

Protect Your Laptop From Loss or Theft

Losing your smartphone is bad enough, but losing your laptop can wreak serious havoc in your life. When your PC skips out on you, not only must you cope with lost data and the risk of having your information compromised, but you must also replace the laptop, which can be an expensive proposition. I'll explain how to improve your odds of getting your laptop back if it's lost or stolen, and share a few tips for securing your personal and business data.
Record your assets: A cheap laptop may cost as little as rs 20, 000, but many business users and gamers carry machines worth a lakh--or more. Regardless of how much money you spent on your laptop, it's wise to keep receipts related to your purchase, take a picture of your laptop, and register it on your homeowner's or renter's insurance policy. That way, losing your laptop won't have to be a huge financial burden on top of all the unavoidable hassles you'll face.
Back up often: If you haven't been backing up your data as frequently as you should, don't feel bad--just go do it. Do it now. Do it weekly. But don't simply copy your files onto DVDs. Perform full system backups to a reliable, high-capacity external drive using Windows Backup or a similar backup utility.
Back up redundantly: In addition to getting into the habit of maintaining a local system backup on an external drive, it's smart to back up your most important data (or even your entire system) to a remote, cloud-based service such as Mozy. That way, if catastrophe strikes your home or your office, you'll still have all of your information saved in a separate, secure location.

Install a Recovery App and Sign Up With a Tracking Service

If your laptop is stolen, you have about a 2 percent chance of getting it back. But your odds can drastically improve if you run a tracking and recovery app such as zTrace or LoJack for Laptops.
For about $60 (Rs 2,700 approx.) per year, with tracking service, these apps hide in your PC's BIOS and periodically connect to the Internet to report their location. If your laptop disappears, just contact the company to activate tracking and recovery services that will respond to a signal from your laptop and record its location with surprising accuracy, based on the IP address that it connects from.
Once either LoJack for Laptops or zTrace locates your laptop, the service will work with the appropriate law enforcement authorities to investigate the theft and reclaim your equipment. In addition, you can initiate a remote data wipe that immediately begins erasing everything on your hard drive in a manner that the local user can't interrupt or override. That way, even if the police never find your computer, your data won't fall into the wrong hands.
Of course, not everyone is dishonest, and your laptop might find its way into the possession of a well-intentioned soul who wants nothing more than to return it to you. For such an eventuality, it makes sense to label your laptop with your name, phone number, and e-mail address; a Good Samaritan who finds your laptop can then ring you up and arrange to reunite you with it.

Protect Your Other Mobile Tech Gear

Laptops and cell phones aren't the only devices that can cause trouble when they stray from their owners. Losing e-book readers, media players, GPS devices, portable hard drives, and even thumb drives can be expensive in terms of both replacement costs and data loss.
Most specialized mobile devices can't run high-end tracking and recovery software, but you can make them less anonymous by labeling them with recovery tags. One approach is simply to print your name and phone number on a return address label and affix it to the device.

Portable hard drives can be particularly troublesome to lose, because you don't want to share the data on them with the world. To protect your business and personal information, consider using a robust utility such as the open-source TrueCrypt encryption software to protect the drive's contents from snoops.
TrueCrypt creates a secure volume on your disk, encrypting data on the fly as your PC reads and writes from the drive. When you first access the drive after connecting it, you simply enter a strong password; thereafter, it functions just as any other drive does. But if the drive ever gets lost, anyone who tries to read what's on it will have difficulty doing so. TrueCrypt works on USB keychain drives, as well.

Four Habits That Help You Avoid Losing Your Stuff

Losing things is easy. Getting them back can be tough. Here are four simple habits that can help you prevent losses and improve your chances of getting your gadgets back if you do leave them somewhere.
1. Keep receipts: Whenever you take a cab, eat at a restaurant, or grab a cup of coffee at a café, ask for a receipt and hold on to it for a day or so. That way, if you suddenly realize that you left your Kindle, keys, or other belongings behind, you are only a phone call away from starting to recover them. Receipts often include important information you may not know or remember, such as the name of the person who helped you, and that person may remember you and your lost item.
2. Label everything: Whether you use laser-printed return address labels or fancy professional asset tags, labeling your belongings gives finders a way to reach you and return the item. Most people are honest enough to be willing to help you if you make it easy for them to do the right thing.
3. Pack consistently: If you always store each piece of gear in the same place, you're more apt to notice when something isn't where it belongs. For instance, if you consistently put your phone in your inside coat pocket, you have a better chance of realizing that it's not there as you leave a restaurant. Get into the habit of knowing which pockets your essential items live in, and you'll be less likely to leave them behind.
4. Accessorize: Covering your smartphone in a flashy case may suggest that you look to Petulant Tween magazine for tips on style and aesthetics, but it'll also make your handset catch your eye on a cluttered restaurant table. If you tend to leave things behind, sacrificing a little dignity in return for maximum visibility may save you headaches in the long run.

Insurance Assurance

Technology can be expensive. Fortunately, many homeowner's and renter's insurance policies cover lost, stolen, or damaged electronics. But cutting through the red tape and getting full value for your lost equipment takes some effort. Here's what you need to know.
First, be sure to keep records of all of your expensive purchases. Whether it's a shiny new laptop or a portable projector, any device whose value exceeds your insurance deductible is worth recording on your insurance policy.
At a minimum, keep your original purchase receipt in a safe place, and record the product's serial number along with it. You might want to take a photo of the device, too, and keep that picture with the receipt and the serial number. That way, even if you can't locate exact model information later on for some reason, you'll have a clear record of what it is you've lost.
For an industry that constantly deals with unforeseen events, insurance companies hate surprises. So call your insurance agent and arrange to add your devices to your policy. Giving the insurance company information about the date of purchase and the amount paid, as well as the model and serial numbers, will streamline the process of getting reimbursed if the device goes the way of the laundry sock.
If your equipment gets lost or stolen, you'll have to do some legwork before the insurance company will cut you a check. In particular, you may need to file a police report about your loss and provide a copy of that report to the insurance company. Though the police are unlikely to find your laptop (or even care that it is gone), the paperwork will demonstrate to your insurance carrier that you've tried to recover it. If you don't present it up front, your agent will probably contact you weeks after you file your claim to ask for one--and that will mean a longer delay before you get your money.
Do the work early, and you'll take a lot of the hassle out of the process of obtaining reimbursement for a stolen gadget.

Robert Strohmeyer

The Ultimate Blackberry Phone Tips and Tricks

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:58:00 +0000

Get More from Your BlackBerry Smartphone

For such a tiny little device, that BlackBerry smartphone of yours has an amazing amount of functionality packed in behind the scenes. But, unfortunately, realizing the true potential of a Research In Motion (RIM) device isn't always as simple as opening up a user guide or surfing on over to Google. In fact, your BlackBerry's literally packing hundreds of "hidden" tips and tricks.
That's where we come in. We bring you a comprehensive set of tips and tricks - for the novice, the seasoned expert and everyone in between. We' take through a comprehensive list of shortcuts, performance tips, our favorite BlackBerry software downloads, battery-life advice, memory optimization methods, getting more out of the built-in camera, better browsing techniques, innovative uses for your BlackBerry's Bluetooth, and much more.
After learning these techniques, you'll wonder how you ever got by without them. Each tip takes only a second or two to learn and put to use, and they'll save precious time, provide valuable information about your device and make your smartphone run faster and more smoothly.So sit back, whip out that BlackBerry and pay attention.

Shortcuts Galore

On the list of reasons why we admire Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry operating system (OS), the sheer number of built-in, valuable keyboard shortcuts ranks near the top. So whether you're new to the whole BlackBerry scene or you've been sporting a 'Berry on your belt since the beginnings of push e-mail, we're sure you'll find the following list of BlackBerry shortcuts well worth a read. When you're finished with our list, all you'll need is a shortcut to help you remember all these shortcuts. Unfortunately, you're on your own with that one...for now, at least.
Typing Shortcuts

To capitalize a letter with one click, hold down the letter key.
To insert a period, click the Space key twice.
Turn CAP Lock on by pressing the ALT key followed by the right Shift key. Turn it off by pressing either Shift key.
Turn Number Lock on by pressing the ALT key followed by the left Shift key. Turn it off by pressing either Shift key.
Type an accented letter or special character by holding the corresponding letter and scrolling left or right with the trackball.
Insert the current date into a message or document by pressing the L key followed by the D key and Space key.

Insert the current time into a message or document by pressing the L key followed by the T key and Space key.
Switch text input languages on your BlackBerry at any point by hit the ALT button and Enter key at the same time, use your trackball to scroll to the new language you'd like to use, then click the trackball to confirm the new selection.

Messaging (E-mail and SMS)

In e-mail inbox, press the S key to search for a sender or a word within a subject line, and any mail folder regardless of message was sent or received.
Within inbox, access the complete list of messages sent by hitting the ALT key followed by the O key.
Within inbox, access the complete list of messages received by hitting the ALT key followed by the I key.
Within inbox, access the complete list of SMS text messages received by hitting the ALT key followed by the S key.
Within inbox, access phone log by hitting the ALT key followed by the P key.
Within inbox, access voicemail log by hitting the ALT key followed by the V key.
To delete all messages sent or received before a specific date, highlight that date with the cursor, hit the BlackBerry Menu key, select Delete Prior and confirm selection.
To enable automatic spell checking of e-mail messages, click the Options icon on BlackBerry home screen. Then click Spell Check and select the Spell Check E-Mail Before Sending option.
To do a manual spell check, click the BlackBerry Menu key within a composed message and select Check Spelling.
When a message is being spell checked, suggested fixes to unrecognized words can be ignored by clicking the escape key.
Heavy BlackBerry users know the pain of trying to catch up on an e-mail thread with multiple responses. For easier navigation of a conversation threads, open the first message and then hit the J key to jump to the next response, and so on. You can also return to an earlier message in the thread by hitting the K key. (Note: If the subject line of the thread has been modified, you may not be able to find all responses using this shortcut.)
You can simply close a message, and when you're free again, just hit the G key after reopening it, and you'll be brought to the exact spot where you stopped reading.

Phone Functions

Multitask while on phone calls by hitting the BlackBerry menu key during a call and then selecting Home Screen. You'll then have access to e-mail and other documents--though most BlackBerrys don't allow for simultaneous voice and data transfer, so Internet access is unavailable while on calls.
Find specific contacts from your BlackBerry home screen by pressing keys for first and last initials, with a space between them. If more than one contact has the same initials, scroll to the appropriate contact.
Rapidly switch back and forth between BlackBerry applications by holding down the ALT key and then click ESCAPE. While holding down ALT, you can then scroll left or right between apps, and you need only release the ALT key to select a program.
To reboot without removing the battery, simply hit ALT, RIGHT SHIFT and DELETE.
To pull up the Help Me screen, navigate to your home screen and then press ALT, either SHIFT key and the letter H. To return to your Home Screen, hit ESCAPE or open the MENU and select Close.
You can access a variety of helpful Home Screen shortcuts. o do so, click your Phone icon on the Home Screen or hit the green phone button on your device. Then press your Menu key, pick Options, then General Options and change the Dial From Home Screen field from "Yes" to "No." Now you'll need to hit your Phone icon or click the green phone button to dial a number and place a call, but you'll have access to all of the following shortcuts from your Home Screen via a single click of the corresponding letter key: WAP Browser -- W, Alarm -- R, Tasks -- T, Calculator -- U, Options -- O, Address Book -- A, Search -- S, Notes -- D, Profiles -- F, Help -- H, Lock keypad -- K, Calendar -- L, Messages -- M, Browser -- B, BlackBerry Messenger -- N, Saved messages -- V, Compose -- C.
To put device into Standby Mode so keys cannot be pressed while it's not in use, hold down the Mute key for a second or two. Undo Standby Mode by holding Mute for another couple of seconds.
Access your BlackBerry address book while on a call by simply clicking the green Send key to open up the phone application and call log. When your call log is on screen, hold down Send again for a couple of seconds until the address book information appears.
To automatically add an extension to a phone number, type in the appropriate ten digits and then hit the ALT and X keys, followed by the numbers in the extension. Then click the Send button.
While in a message or text file, you can copy text in two different ways. First, you can simply hold the Shift button while scrolling the trackball over the text you wish to copy, and then hit the BlackBerry Menu key and choose Copy from the associated dropdown menu. You can also copy text by hitting ALT and clicking the track ball before scrolling over the text you wish to copy and then hitting Menu and choosing Copy. To paste text once it's copied, you can either click Menu again and choose Paste, or you can simply hit Shift and click the trackball wherever you want the text to appear.

BlackBerry Browser

Bring up the Enter Web Address field from any Web page by pressing the G key.
Insert a period in Web address by clicking the Space key.
Insert a back slash in Web address by clicking either the Left Shift or Right Shift keys and then hitting Space.
Add an item to bookmarks list by clicking the A key.
Bring up your bookmark list by clicking the K key.
Refresh a Web page by clicking the R key. To stop a page refresh, hit your Escape key.
Display a list of the last 20 pages visited by hitting the I key.
Open browser options with the O key.
To jump instantly to the very top or bottom or a Web page within your BlackBerry browser, simply click the "T" button to move all the way up or the "B" key to shift to the bottom.
To jump down a page length in the BlackBerry Browser, simply hit the Space key. Do so repeatedly to quickly move down a page. On the flip side, you can "page up" by holding a Shift key and then clicking Space.
The simplest and fastest way to surf to your home page via BlackBerry Browser: click your "H" key while on another page. (Note: Modify your BlackBerry home page by hitting Menu--directly to the left of your trackball--and choosing Options, then Browser Configuration. On the following screen, scroll down to the Home Page Address field and enter in the correct URL for your new home page.
Open up your BlackBerry Browser Options by hitting the "S" key while on any Web page.
To zoom in on a page while using the BlackBerry Browser, click "I." to zoom back out, hit "O."
To instantly view your BlackBerry browsing history, click the "Y" key while surfing the Web.
To rapidly determine the URL for a Web page you're visiting, click the "P" key.
To quickly exit your browser, either hit your BlackBerry Escape key--located directly to the right of your trackball--or click the "D" key. (Note: This shortcut did not work on our Curve 8900 running OS v5.0.0.90.)
To alternate Between "Column" and "Page" Views in BlackBerry Browser, click your "Z" button.
Click the "U" key while on any Web page to hide the BlackBerry Browser Banner.
While on a Web page, just click your BlackBerry's P key at any time to see that specific page's Web address and title.

Spreadsheet Attachments

Change the size of a column by pushing the W key.
Go to a specific cell by pressing the G key.
View contents of a cell by pressing the Space key.
Search for text by clicking the F key, and then type the desired word.
Switch to a different worksheet by pressing V and selecting the desired sheet.

Presentation Attachments

Skip to the next slide by pressing the N key.
Return to the previous slide by clicking the P key.
Start slideshow by pushing the S key.
Stop slideshow by clicking the Escape key.
Switch to a new view of the slideshow by clicking the M key.

Back Up and Restore Handheld Data

Anyone who has ever experienced the pain of losing all the data on a PC or handheld intimately knows the value of backing up personal information, whether it's an iTunes music collection, digital photo album or address book. This can be easier said than done, but BlackBerry users are in luck: The handheld data backup and restore process for Research In Motion (RIM) smartphones couldn't be simpler when you use the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, which ships with every new RIM device. We'll demonstrate how you can protect the valuable data on your BlackBerry by backing it up on your PC's hard drive--we'll even show you how to automatically backup your device data in preset intervals. To get started, all you'll need is your BlackBerry device, the latest version of RIM's BlackBerry Desktop Manager, a Microsoft Windows PC--the desktop software's not currently available to Mac users--and a USB cable to link your mobile phone and computer.
First, you'll want to download the latest version of RIM's BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, which at the time of this article's time of publication is v5.0, . To determine which version of Desktop Manager you're currently running, launch the program via Windows Start Menu by clicking All Programs, BlackBerry and Desktop Manager. When the program's open, hit the Help tab on the main screen and then choose About BlackBerry Desktop Manager. The software version will be listed on the General tab.
Launch Desktop Manager, Connect Your BlackBerry and PC
Next, launch the desktop manager software if you haven't already done so. Follow the procedure detailed above to open the program if you didn't choose to create a desktop shortcut upon installation. When the program is running, connect your BlackBerry device to the PC via USB cord. Close any dialogue boxes that may appear when your BlackBerry is connected, including the desktop manager box that informs you it's searching for application updates.
Your BlackBerry should now be connected to the software and the word "Connected" should appear in both the top and bottom left corners of the desktop manager screen. If you're still not connected, try unplugging the device and inserting it into another USB port.
Backup All or Some of the Data on Your BlackBerry
Click on the Backup and Restore icon in the top right corner of the desktop manager home screen. The following screen should offer three separate options: Backup, Restore and Advanced. To save all the personal data stored in your BlackBerry's internal memory, hit the Back up tab, choose a name and location for the file and hit Save. The backup process should take about a minute, and your BlackBerry screen will display a graphic of a connected handheld and PC while it's in progress.
You can also set your BlackBerry Desktop Manager to automatically backup device data in preset intervals (5 days, 7 days, 14 days, etc.) whenever you launch the program and connect your smartphone and PC. To do so, click the Options tab beneath the Backup icon, and on the following screen fill in the box next to Back up my device data automatically every XX days. Then choose the specific data you want backed up. For instance, you can opt to back up all of your device data, or all data except messages and/or data that's synced with an organizer app. When you've selected the information you want to copy, hit OK and then click the Back up tab on the main screen.
To further customize the specific information you wish to back up, click the Advanced tab on the main Backup and Restore screen. You'll quickly see a dialogue box that displays the application's progress scanning your device database, and then a screen with two columns appears: one column on the left named Computer Databases and another on the right titled Device Databases. In the right column, select the specific device data you wish to backup and then hit the left-facing arrow between the columns to copy the information from the Device Databases side to the Computer Databases. Once you've transferred all the data you wish to copy, open the File dropdown menu--located directly above the Computer Databases column--choose a name for your backup file and save it to your hard drive.
Restore Data to Your BlackBerry Using Desktop Manager Files
Restoring BlackBerry device data using the desktop manager software and backup files created using the application isn't difficult at all. First, you'll want to locate your backup files so they're easy to find when you try to restore data. Next, launch the BlackBerry Desktop Manager, click the Backup and Restore icon in the top right corner and on the next screen, and choose Restore. Browse to the appropriate backup file on your hard drive and click Open. You'll then be asked to confirm that you wish to replace all the existing data on your device with the information in the backup file. Hit Yes, and the desktop manager starts restoring your data. This can take several minutes depending on the amount of information in the file.
Restoring only specific device data, such as address book contacts or custom AutoText entries, is similar to the above-mentioned process, but instead of hitting Restore on the main Backup and Restore screen, click Advanced. Then open the File dropdown menu on the left--directly above the Computer Databases column--and open an existing back up file. Choose the specific data you'd like to restore from that file and click the right-facing arrow between the Computer Databases and Device Databases columns. When the progress box disappears, your data has been restored and you're good to go.

Security Basics

BlackBerry has gained a reputation in the mobile space during the past decade or so as the "most secure" handheld device and mobile platform available. That's largely due to RIM's BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) software for corporate e-mail deployments, which has earned high-level security certifications from some of the world's most demanding information-security organizations, including the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); Canada's Communication Security Establishment (CSE); and the U.K.'s Communications Electronic Security Group (CESG), among others.
That's all fine and good for corporations looking to secure infrastructure and resources associated with their BlackBerry deployments. But no amount of security certifications can make up for an uninformed and/or careless BlackBerry user.
That's why, as a BlackBerry smartphone owner, you need to do your part to keep your device, and all the information on it, secure; whether you're a corporate BlackBerry user on a BES or a BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) customer, you can manage a number of quick and easy security safeguards on your own...and you'd be wise to do so if you'd prefer that personal and/or sensitive data on your device remains "for your eyes only."
Here's a detailed list of five tips you can use to reinforce your BlackBerry smartphone's security protections -- and perhaps reduce future headaches associated with a lost or stolen BlackBerry.

Password, Password, Password...One More Time: Password

If your corporate BlackBerry administrator doesn't enforce a password policy on your device or you're a consumer BlackBerry user on BIS, the very first thing you should do with your smartphone is enable password-protection. This is probably the single most important--and effective--BlackBerry security tip that anyone can offer you.
After all, there's little an average perpetrator can do with a locked-down BlackBerry, besides erase its contents.
To enable a new password for your BlackBerry smartphone, simply open your BlackBerry Options menu, then scroll down to and click the word Password. On the following screen, select the Password field and then enable the option via the corresponding pop-up box.
From there, hit your BlackBerry Escape key--located directly to the right of your track ball or trackpad--save your changes when prompted and then enter your new BlackBerry password. After typing the new password once, you'll be prompted to confirm your selection. Verify the password by typing it again, and your BlackBerry will be properly locked down. Just type your password again to unlock the device.
Employing a password that's easy to guess and/or determine defeats the purpose of password-protecting your device; pick a random password that isn't the word "password" or your birthday, etc. (Your BlackBerry password must be at least four characters.) And don't store that password anywhere on your BlackBerry, unless it's in the built-in password keeper app--more on that in a minute.
After enabling a BlackBerry password, you gain access to a number of related security options on the same screen. For instance, you can specify the number of failed password attempts you'd like to permit before your device locks itself down; you can pick a Security Timeout period for how long your device should remain unlocked before enabling the password; and you can choose to require a password whenever new applications are installed, to prevent apps from being installed without your knowledge.

Encrypt BlackBerry Device Data

Another way to help protect your BlackBerry device and the information stored within it is by encrypting your smartphone data. You can encrypt data stored on your device and/or your microSD media card. Doing so "scrambles" the information so it can't be transferred and interpreted if your device falls into the wrong hands or gets hacked.
To enable encryption on your BlackBerry, again open up your BlackBerry Options menu, scroll down to Security Options and on the following screen, choose Encryption. Then, open up the Encryption menu on the next screen and pick Enabled.
After enabling encryption, you may be prompted to tap BlackBerry keys to "generate random information for the new content key pair." This process is used to generate a new, random encryption key that'll help ensure your device and/or media card remain protected. Simply tap your BlackBerry keyboard until you're returned to the Security Options page.
(Note: You may see some performance degradation after enabling device-memory encryption, especially if you choose the "strongest" setting, i.e., your BlackBerry may slow down a bit. So depending on your security needs, it could be a good idea to begin with the lowest encryption setting to see how it affects your handheld.)

Locking Down BlackBerry Bluetooth Security

All new BlackBerry devices have Bluetooth radios for connecting wirelessly to calling- and media-accessories, as well as for small-file transfers. Bluetooth can be invaluable to BlackBerry users, but it should be employed securely. For example, you can enable a number of Bluetooth options to secure connections to accessories and devices, as well as ensure you only connect to the desired gadgets.
To access your Bluetooth options, turn your Bluetooth radio on by opening the BlackBerry Manage Connections menu and checking the box next to Bluetooth. Next, while still on the Manage Connections screen, scroll down to and pick Bluetooth Options.
The following screen shows a variety of Bluetooth options, some are which are security-oriented. First, you'll see an option labeled Discoverable. This option lets you determine whether or not you want your BlackBerry to show up when nearby users search for Bluetooth enabled devices. If you set the option to No, others will not be able to pair or connect with you via Bluetooth; you'll have to manually add them if you wish to connect. If you choose the Yes option, anyone with a Bluetooth device in range will see your BlackBerry if they scan for nearby gadgets. And the third option, 2 Minutes means your device will be viewable to others scanning for Bluetooth devices for only two minutes after you make the change.
Setting BlackBerry Bluetooth discoverability to No is probably the most secure option, because no one will be able to connect to your device via Bluetooth. But I often use the 2 Minutes option, as well, to let other, known parties quickly connect to my device.
On the same screen, you can choose to allow or deny outgoing calls via Bluetooth--I use the "Always" option, because I frequently place hands-free calls via Bluetooth, with my device both locked and unlocked. You can also enable or disable your Bluetooth contact-transfer option, which allows you to quickly transfer BlackBerry contacts via Bluetooth. And there's a Security Level that lets you choose either High or High + Encryption to protect data sent and/or received via Bluetooth--the latter option scrambles data transferred via Bluetooth.
Finally, you can pick and choose which services you want to enable Bluetooth for--headset, hands-free, dial-up networking, etc.--to reduce possible security threats. So, for example, if you never use your device for wireless tethering, you could uncheck the Dial-Up Networking option.

Protect Passwords and Other Sensitive On-Device Data

It may be tempting to store password, payment card information or other login data on your BlackBerry, but there are right and wrong ways to do so. The wrong way is to simply store such information in saved BlackBerry e-mail messages, to-do items or notes, without any sort of protection. If your device falls into the wrong hands, a hacker could potentially search your inbox or message list for the terms "Visa," "Master Card" etc., in hopes of locating financial information that could lead to cash.
But if you protect all your passwords and/or sensitive information using something like RIM's built-in Password Keeper app, potential baddies looking for personal data would have to find not only a way into your device, but also a way to crack your password keeper.
To employ Password Keeper, simply open up the app--it ships with all new BlackBerrys--and create a password to protect all your other passwords. Obviously, this master password should be difficult to guess. Then simply hit your BlackBerry Menu key--to the left of the trackball/trackpad--and choose New to create a new password item. You'll be prompted for a Title, Username, Password, a Website and Notes, but you can use any of the fields to store whatever information you wish.

Parting With Your Device? Make Sure It's Wiped

Whether you've upgraded to a new model, traded handhelds with a friend or colleague, or misplaced your BlackBerry, if you part with your device for any significant period of time, you should "wipe" it clean to ensure no sensitive information is lost.
Obviously, if you've lost or misplaced your device, or--gulp!--it was stolen, you can't wipe it on your own. But if you're on a corporate BES or BES Express, you can still have your BlackBerry administrator remotely wipe your device clean, assuming it's still connected to your organization's BlackBerry Server.
And it's best not to waste time; if you suspect your device has been nabbed, tell your BlackBerry administrator immediately, even if you think you may be able to find it. Mistakes happen and your admin should understand. Even if you locate the device in the future, it's safer to wipe it clean and simply restore your data from a backup, than take a chance of someone hacking your personal information. (You are backing up your BlackBerry regularly, right?)

Boost Battery Life

How long will your BlackBerry battery last? That depends on a wide array of factors, starting with the device model you're using, your proximity to cellular towers, and how often you're talking on a call, sending messages or surfing the mobile Internet.
But regardless of whether or not you're constantly using your a BlackBerry 8830, 8700g or Curve in the city or the sticks, you can learn tricks to squeeze every last bit of juice out of your device. For instance, you can make sure all your unused connectivity options are disabled, your notification settings are optimized for extended battery life and your screen backlight is only as bright as you need it to be.
We recommend carrying an extra BlackBerry battery along whenever possible so you don't get caught in the dark even if your main power supply dies. But these tips can help extend your battery life even if you have another at the ready.

Set Connectivity Options Wisely

Wireless connectivity options such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth eat up BlackBerry battery life when they're on but aren't in use, because they constantly try to connect to networks or devices. Even leaving your device's cellular radio on when you're not using it drains battery life, because it's communicating with cellular towers to determine if you're still in range of the network and to update various services or applications.
Not all BlackBerry devices have Wi-Fi--in fact only a few of them do--but most new RIM devices have Bluetooth support, and the vast majority have cellular radios.
To turn off one or all of these options, go to your device's icon screen and click the "Manage Connections" icon. (It looks a bit like a camera tripod with a few halos around the top.) From there, you can deactivate all connectivity options by hitting the "Turn All Connections Off" option, or turn individual connections on and off by checking or unchecking the boxes next to each. One caution: the cellular radio enables your device to make and receive calls, as well as view Web pages and transfer data, so you won't be able to place calls or surf the Web when your radio is turned off. If you enter an area with poor or no cellular coverage--when riding on a subway, for example--turn off you radio unless it's absolutely necessary, because it will drain battery trying to reconnect with the network.
You can also set your device to automatically shut down at night (or other little-used times) and turn itself back on, to save battery life. To do so, go to your device's icon screen and click the Options icon. (It looks like a wrench.) Then click Auto On/Off, select whether or not settings should apply to weekdays, weekends or both, and choose stop and start times.

Examine Your Notification Profiles

The notification alerts that you use to signal new phone calls or messages can have a significant impact on your BlackBerry battery life. For example, if you set your call notification to vibrate three times and then ring loudly, your battery is going to drain faster than if you turn off the vibration and reduce your ring tone volume to low.
If you use a custom ring tone--a little Buffett, say--you're also using more battery life than with a traditional ring. The most energy efficient way to employ call or message notifications? Set your ring tone to the lowest volume you can and reduce or eliminate the use of vibration alerts.
We all need to set or devices to vibrate occasionally while in meetings or other locales that require quiet, but you can modify your vibrations settings.
To reduce the number of times that your device vibrates when a new call or message is received, go to your device's icon screen and click the Profiles icon. (It looks like a speaker.) From there you can adjust your various profile settings--Loud, Vibrate, Quiet, Normal and Phone Off--and access Advanced settings. Scroll down and click the Advanced option, and you'll see another list of the same profile settings. To modify these settings, just highlight one, hit your BlackBerry menu key and click the Edit option. This displays all the various applications and services with notification options, like your phone, e-mail inbox, text message inbox, IM application and more. To change notification settings for an app or service, simply click one and select whether you want your device to both ring and vibrate when you receive a call or an email message and how many times for each.
If you use an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) holster from RIM, you can also set different notification options for when your device is holstered. (RIM's newer holsters have built-in magnets that let your device know it's secured.) These options can save precious battery life, as well, because you can set your device to remain silent and still while holster and then revert to normal settings when it's removed.
As a general rule, the fewer times you BlackBerry rings or vibrates, the less battery life your notifications use.

Adjust Your Screen Backlight

Newer BlackBerry devices enable you to heighten or reduce your display's backlight brightness. The brighter your screen, and the longer that screen stays lit, the more battery life you're using.
To modify backlight settings, go to your BlackBerry icon screen and click on the Options icon that looks like a wrench. The click the Screen/Keyboard option and set your Backlight Brightness to the lowest level you can stand without needing to struggle to see your display. Then set your Backlight Timeout--how long your screen will stay on before going black--to the shortest time period you can handle.
An OEM BlackBerry holster can also reduce the amount of time your screen stays lit regardless of your settings, because it blacks out your display whenever the device is holstered.

Use Power-Hogging Applications Wisely

The larger the number of BlackBerry applications you use, the more power you're going to need. If you constantly use a couple of apps, say the Viigo RSS reader and Facebook for BlackBerry, you need to consider how much power those specific applications employ. If battery life is of the essence, you probably want to use them sparingly.
Some applications eat up power only when in use. For example, Google Maps mobile application for BlackBerry drains significant battery life when you search for directions or satellite images of a specific locale, but it doesn't use much power when not being employed.
But, many BlackBerry applications drain battery life even when you're not using them by pulling in new content or updates. Viigo, a mobile RSS reader for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices, for instance, pulls in content from whatever feeds you select. If you use Viigo and you're receiving articles from 30 feeds, the application is going to eat up a good chunk of your battery, even when you're not reading the stories it's collecting. Or take the Facebook for BlackBerry application: Depending on your Facebook notification settings, you could be receiving BlackBerry alerts every time a Facebook Friend sends you a message, writes on your wall, pokes you, or interacts with one of your widgets. All of that back and forth activity takes a lot of power.
So be aware of how much battery your BlackBerry applications need, and why, and be selective.

Keep Battery Connections Clean

Over time, the battery connections within your device can gather dust and other particles and impede the transfer of power to your hardware. Every few months, it's a good idea to remove your battery and wipe clean the small sections of metal through which battery power is transferred, as well as the metal prongs inside your device's battery slot that connect to the power supply.
Those prongs are delicate, however, so you should be very careful cleaning them. Q Tips and cleansing wipes made specifically for electronic gadgets work well, though they can leave residue, so you should ensure both surfaces are clear before replacing your battery.
Finally, your battery will become less efficient over time, so it is occasionally necessary to buy a new one. If your battery is a year or older, and you've determined that its poor performance can't be attributed to a weak cellular connection, a power-hogging app or a similar issue, you may need to replace it.

Close Unused Applications--Even if You Reopen Them Soon

Many BlackBerry applications utilize RIM's respected "push" technology, which brings messages, notifications and alerts to your device almost instantly after the corresponding service receives them. That's all fine and good--except for the fact that it takes battery life to initiative the transactions and receive new data. The more apps you have open that use some sort of auto-update process, the more battery life those apps are eating up.
So while my initial related tip was merely to close all "power-hogging" apps when they're not in use, today I'm suggesting you close ALL apps when you're not employing them. You won't receive updates or notifications, but you can always just reopen a specific app if you want to check it.
This also goes for IM applications, like BeeJive or IM+, which many BlackBerry users leaving running constantly. If you're a heavy IM user, this tip may not play out for you. But if you're like me and rarely use IM via BlackBerry, except to initiate a quick conversation, you'll be better off leaving your IM apps deactivated until you need them.
A quick way to determine which apps are running at a given time is to open up your BlackBerry Application Switcher ribbon by holding down the BlackBerry Menu key--directly to the left of your trackball/trackpad--for a few seconds. The core BlackBerry phone, browser, messages, BlackBerry Messenger and home screen icon cannot be closed, but anything else that shows up in your app switcher can be shutdown via the application menus.

Standby Mode is Your Friend

You can quickly and easily put many BlackBerry devices into "Standby Mode" to conserve battery life when not in use, among other things. Standby Mode is different than the BlackBerry screen/keypad lock in that it not only freezes your device keyboard, but also deactivates your display, saving power.
You activate Standby Mode in different ways depending on your BlackBerry device, but some new devices can be put into standby by simply holding the Mute key on the top right or left of the device.
For example, I put my BlackBerry Bold 9700 into standby every time it goes into my pocket by holding the Mute key on the top-right of the device. (Check your owner's manual or search Google if you can't determine how to activate standby on your specific handset. Note: As far as I know, the Storm2 does not have a Standby Mode.)
You'll need to push the Mute key again--or reenter whatever key combo activates standby--to turn it off. So if you find that your device is on but won't start up when you press keys, ensure it's not in standby.

Disable Your Camera's Flash

If you employ your BlackBerry's digital camera frequently, but want to conserve battery life, you can turn off or adjust your camera's flash. Using the flash once or twice probably won't have too much of an impact on your battery life. But repeated use is sure to take a toll.
To modify your camera's flash settings, open the BlackBerry camera app by clicking on the Camera Icon on your BlackBerry home screen. When the camera view finder is open, click your BlackBerry Menu key, hit Options and change the Default Flash Setting to "No."
Hit your Escape key to exit out of the Options menu, save your changes, and your flash will be turned off the next time you open the camera. To turn it back on, simply reverse the process.

Add E-Mail Accounts Sparingly

Every time an e-mail message or group of messages is delivered to your BlackBerry inbox, your overall device battery-life diminishes. So, to maximize BlackBerry battery life, you should only connect "relevant" e-mail accounts to your smartphone.
For example, if you have your Microsoft Outlook, two Gmail accounts, a Windows Live mailbox and Yahoo! Mail all linked to your BlackBerry device, you're using a significant amount of your battery life on simply delivering e-mail--assuming you frequently receive mail to these accounts.
You probably need your Outlook mail, especially if your BlackBerry is work-issued. But do you really require that both of those Gmail inboxes be connected to your smartphone? Do you even receive mail to that ancient Hotmail Windows Live account?
It's a good practice to connect only the mailboxes you employ most frequently to your BlackBerry device, since reducing the number of mailboxes will not only increase your overall battery-life, but also de-clutter your main BlackBerry Messages folder.

Better Digital Camera Experience

You can more out of your blackberry camera built in and capture pro-looking shots effortlessly. There are some basic tips provided by RIM themselves. We will take a look of the various tips they reccomend and also provide some useful tips of our own.
First, RIM’s tips:

Get closer to your subjects
Hold your hand steady
Be patient
Use the flash when necessary
Use photos to help remember future errands/tasks/etc.
Organize your digital media using BlackBerry folders
Share images via digital photo apps like Flickr, Facebook or MySpace for BlackBerry
Use a photo editor (There are free options)
Modify white balance settings
Experiment with built-in color effects like black & white or sepia
Employ geotagging, where available, to tie location info to images
Modify BlackBerry image quality camera settings

Again, most of these are somewhat obvious, but each and every one will indeed help to make you a better BlackBerry photog. And much more detail on each item is available on RIM’s site.
I use my BlackBerry camera fairly frequently, and I’ve experimented with all the suggestions mentioned above and more. One tip that’s often overlooked due to its simplicity: Make sure your camera lens is clear of dust and other debris.
The simplest way to do this is to wipe both the lens and flash, found on the rear side of your camera-equipped ‘Berry, with a cotton swab or a paper towel or tissue will do just fine, but make sure to use a quality brand that won’t just leave more of a mess.
My other suggestion is an extension of RIM’s second tip: Hold your hand steady. I’ve had the best luck using both hands. I use one thumb and forefinger on the top and bottom to hold my BlackBerry horizontally in place while my other hand holds the device like I normally would, with a thumb on the trackball and the rest of my hand wrapped around its side.
This is particularly helpful when using RIM’s BlackBerry Curve 8900 or Storm devices. Both handsets have higher resolution cameras than other BlackBerry models—3.2 megapixels compared to 2.0 megapixels—as well as a new autofocus feature. The autofocus in particular really makes a difference in picture quality. But it also causes a delay after you click your trackball or screen to snap an image, so holding your device steady for those final few seconds is crucial.
In addition to the cameras usage tips, RIM also included a breakdown of the BlackBerry Camera Settings. I won’t get into details, but if you’re new to using a BlackBerry shooter, these tips are a great place to familiarize yourself with RIM’s camera application.
The most interesting tidbit from the camera settings section:
“If the [BlackBerry] battery power level drops below 20 percent, the flash dims to conserve battery power. In cold temperatures, when the battery power level drops below 20 percent, the flash might turn off.”
Apparently there are battery-life-protection measures built into the camera app that jump into action whenever the temperature drops below a certain level. Who knew?

Use Folders to Unclutter Your RIM Smartphone

BlackBerry smartphones come with a default set of folders for users to store software, including RIM's own standard tools--like its Calculator and Memo Pad applications--as well as third party apps and games. The four main app storage folders are Applications, Games, Instant Messaging and Downloads--at least if your BlackBerry is running OS v4.6 or higher.
Applications is where all RIM's native apps live; Games is for, well, games; a number of IM programs, including AIM and Google Talk, can be found in Instant Messaging; and any and all new apps you may acquire land in Downloads.
That's all fine and good for new BlackBerry owners, but thanks to the release of BlackBerry App World, RIM's mobile software store, getting your hands on new software has never been easier. And those four folders fill up and become disorganized awfully quick.
Luckily, you can create your own BlackBerry folders, which can be organized in the way that best suits your needs, in just a few simple steps. Once you're a master of the BlackBerry folder.

Adding New BlackBerry Folders

Creating a new BlackBerry folder for storing applications or other data takes just three steps.
One: On your icon- or application-screen, click the BlackBerry Menu key, which is located directly to the left of your trackball.
Two: Choose Add Folder from the options in the corresponding pop-up menu, and choose a name for your new addition.
Three: Click the Icon section of the Add Folder screen, and pick the color or graphic that best fits the folder's intended purpose.
Voila! A new BlackBerry folder should now appear on your icon screen. Should you wish to modify the folder's name, color or graphic in the future, simply scroll over it, hit the BlackBerry Menu key again, and choose Edit Folder.

Moving Folders

There's no right or wrong way to organize the folders and applications on your BlackBerry; try experimenting a bit to see which arrangements work best for you. However, the following tips can be used to shape your BlackBerry folder organization strategy.
Any folder on your BlackBerry can be moved and shifted around your icon screen. To do so, scroll over the folder you wish to move, click the BlackBerry Menu key and choose Move . A white outline appears around the folder, and any movement of your trackball moves the folder.
Depending on the BlackBerry theme you're currently using, you can position folders so that they appear on your home screen in addition to your icon screen. If you're using a "zen" theme, move a folder into the top row on your icon screen and it will also display on your home screen.
Unfortunately, you cannot currently create new folders within folders, which could really help with BlackBerry organization. And it may be a while before this functionality hits a BlackBerry near you--if it ever does; I've been experimenting with a very early unofficial version of RIM's upcoming BlackBerry OS v5.0, and the feature still isn't present in the new firmware, though it could be eventually.
One tweak within BlackBerry OS v5.0 that will help: You can easily change the folder for downloads, so new applications can be delivered directly to the appropriate folder, instead of landing in the Downloads folder first.

Organizing BlackBerry Folders with Colors, Icons

For new folders, you can choose from a variety of colors--green, purple, red, blue and yellow--along with a number of icons, such as stars, hearts, smiley faces and the BlackBerry logo. Using color codes and/or icons will help you remember what types of applications are in which folders without having to physically scroll over them to see app names.
For example, you could use the color red to signify that a folder is work-related. So a red folder with a star titled "Applications" could house apps like WorldMate Live and TetherBerry, along with ERP, CRM or whatever other corporate apps your IT administrator may have distributed.
And a red folder with a smiley face icon could be for your most frequently used, work-related software.
A blue folder with a star could be used to store all your personal, or life-style, apps, like Viigo, Facebook for BlackBerry and TweetGenius.
Again, these specific examples may not work for you, but find your own organization strategy by testing out the above-mentioned suggestions and seeing which work best.

Set Up E-Mail Signature

BlackBerry e-mail auto-signatures let you save time on typing and reduce unnecessary strain on BlackBerry thumbs, as well as proactively apologize for possible typos. Follow these simple steps to create, modify or erase BlackBerry e-mail signatures--for both personal, or BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS), and corporate, or BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES), accounts.

BlackBerry Personal E-Mail Auto Signatures: BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS)

To create, change or do away with an auto signature for a BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) Web-mail account, you first need to log in to your wireless carrier's website--you may also need to create a new account if you haven't already. To do so, surf over to your carrier's website and either create a new user name and password or login to an existing account.
After logging into your carrier's website, you should locate the BlackBerry messaging, or BIS, section of the page. (You can also quickly find your carrier's BIS page by performing a Google search for the carrier's name and "BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS).") Once on the BIS page, create at new account, if necessary, or login.
Next, you can choose to add a new Web mail account to BIS, or if you've already added one, there's an option to edit existing accounts. If you've not yet created an account, follow the on-screen process to enter an e-mail address and login information, then save your changes. Once an account is added, you'll be returned to the main BIS page.
A default e-mail signature will be assigned to each new BIS e-mail account you add, something like: "Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T." Until you physically remove this default auto-signature, it will appear at the bottom of each and every message you send. This is a good way to spot newbie BlackBerry owners, as many beginner users aren't even aware that the signature is there.
To remove, edit or create a new BIS e-mail auto-signature, login to your carrier's site, locate the BIS page and click the Edit option below the e-mail account you wish to modify. On the following page, you'll see an e-mail signature option with a space for text beneath it. If you've never modified your BIS account, you'll see the default signature mentioned above, within that space. You can delete it completely, modify it or create a new signature. Once you have, click the Save button.
After you've got your signature the way you want it, return to the main BIS page and click the link that says Send Service Books. This helps to ensure that your changes are applied.

BlackBerry Corporate E-Mail Auto Signatures: BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES)

The easiest way to create or modify BlackBerry e-mail auto-signatures for corporate or BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) accounts is via your handset and not a Web-based interface, like the BIS interface described above. Also, BES mail accounts do not have any sort of default signature applied, so unless you create one yourself--or an admin does it for you--your BlackBerry mail will not have an auto-signature.
To create or change a BES e-mail auto-signature, you should first open your on-device Messaging app, where all of your BES messages are stored. Next, hit the BlackBerry Menu key--which is located directly to the left of your trackball--and scroll down until you can click on Options. Within the Messages Options menu, choose E-Mail Settings.
On the following E-Mail Settings page, make sure the Use Auto Signature option is set to Yes, and then fill in whatever message you want to appear at the bottom of your e-mail, within the blank on-screen box. As mentioned earlier, common BlackBerry e-mail signatures include name, address and contact information, but you may also wish to use something to alert message recipients that your mailing was sent via BlackBerry. For instance, "Please excuse any typos. Message was sent via BlackBerry."
Finally, hit the BlackBerry Escape key to the right of your trackball to exit the screen, and then save your changes when prompted.
You can also add or change your BES e-mail signature using RIM's BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, though you need to have chosen the enterprise e-mail option when you first used Desktop Manager. If you'd like to employ the software to modify your BES auto-signature but don't have the corporate mail option in Desktop Manager, simply uninstall the app, then reinstall and choose the enterprise setup option.
Next, connect your BlackBerry to your PC via the standard mini USB cord and fire up Desktop Manager. You should see an E-Mail Settings tab on Desktop Manager's opening page. If you do not, you need to uninstall and reinstall the app, as previously mentioned. Click E-Mail Settings and add whatever text you'd like to use as an auto-signature to the blank on-screen box. When you're done, just hit the Apply button and close the program.
Finally, you need make sure that you have set your device to employ a BES e-mail auto-signature. To check this, follow the process described at the start of this section and make sure the Use Auto Signature option on the on-device E-Mail Settings page is enabled.

Customize Your Blackberry

Customize your RIM BlackBerry smartphone in no time using unique home screen images, backgrounds, custom ringtones, notification profiles and exceptions, and also by downloading and installing new themes. We guide you how to go about it.
Change Home Screen Images, Backgrounds
BlackBerry devices let you use just about any image or graphic as a home screen image. The simplest way to find adequately sized images for your BlackBerry's background is to take the picture yourself using your built-in digital camera, if you've got one, and then save it to your device's memory or media card. This helps ensure that the image is the correct proportions, since you can see what it looks like on-screen just after you take it.
You can also locate correctly-sized images via online aggregators of BlackBerry backgrounds, or "wallpapers." I get most of my wallpapers, at least the ones I don't create on my own, via CrackBerry.com and sites like it. CrackBerry.com has a large, free wallpaper gallery, with all images categorized based on device display size.
BlackBerry Pearl 81xx users want to employ 240x260-pixel wallpapers; Pearl Flip 8220 users want 240x320; Curve 83xx, BlackBerry 87xx and 88xx should use 320x240 backgrounds; Curve 8900 owners want 480x360; Bold 9000 users want 480x320; and Storm 95xx devices have 360x480 displays. You should pick your wallpaper accordingly.
(Note: You can employ pictures and graphics that aren't sized perfectly for your device as background images by navigating to the image of choice, via your Media icon, selecting Pictures, then All Pictures and clicking on the image you want to use. Next, hit your BlackBerry Menu key--which is located directly to the left of your trackball--and choose Fit to Screen. Your image may appear disproportionate, but it will at least span your screen.)
Whenever you save a new image or graphic to your BlackBerry smartphone, you can save the file to your smartphone's built-in, or "on-board," memory or an external memory card--if you've got one.
It's a good idea to save images that you plan to use as home screen backgrounds to your device memory. (This helps to ensure that the image remains set as your background after a hard or soft reset, battery pull or memory card switch.) However, I like to set my image preferences to save all pictures taken with my camera to my external media card, so the small amount of built-in BlackBerry device memory doesn't fill up too quickly.
To choose the save location for images taken with your camera, open the Camera app, click the BlackBerry Menu key and select Options. Scroll down to Store Pictures on the following screen, and choose either On Media Card or In Device Memory.
If you choose to store all images on your media card, you'll want to move the files you use as home screen images to your on-board memory, for the above mentioned reasons. To do so, simply open the image you wish to move, click the BlackBerry Menu key and choose Move. Next, click the on-screen Device Memory folder and pick Move Here from the menu that appears. Your image will then be saved to your device.
After you've located the picture you want to use and saved it to your device memory, it's time to set it as your BlackBerry home screen image. First, navigate to the appropriate image within your BlackBerry Media icon, as described above. But instead of clicking All Pictures within the Pictures folder, choose Picture Folders and select Device Memory. If you saved the image in the correct location, you should see it there.
Next, click on the image you wish to use, hit the BlackBerry Menu key again and choose Set as Home Screen Image. Voila! The next time you return to your BlackBerry's home screen, you'll see the new image.
And if at any point you want to return to the default home screen image, simply navigate to any picture, click your BlackBerry Menu key and choose Reset Home Screen Image.
Set Custom Ringtones, Notification Profiles and Exceptions
One of the most basic BlackBerry phone customization options available to users can also prove to be the most valuable. Setting custom ringtones for the contacts in your address book, or at least for those with whom you communicate frequently, can tell you who's calling and eliminate the need to peek at your caller ID.
First, open your BlackBerry contacts by clicking on the Address Book icon on your home screen. From there, scroll down to the contact for which you wish to add a custom ringtone. With the contact's name highlighted, hit your BlackBerry Menu key, located directly to the left of the trackball on 8xxx series devices, and scroll down to and click Add Custom Phone Tune. From the dropdown menu, choose the location within your phone's memory where the default ringtones are stored--usually labeled Preloaded Ringtones--or the folder in your memory card where you keep your custom ringtones. (BlackBerry users can employ a variety of applications, including the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, to create their own custom ringtones.)
Scroll through the list of available ringtones--default tones will be named "Ringer_ NAME_XX .mp3"--and click on the one you wish to associate with the previously selected contact. Hit OK when the confirmation dialogue box displays, and you're all set. After assigning a custom tone to a contact, you can edit that tone by highlighting the contact's name in your address book, hitting the BlackBerry Menu key and selecting Edit . Then, scroll all the way to the bottom of the entry where the custom ringtone is listed, click on the name of the tone and navigate through the dropdown menu until you find the new tone you'd like.
RIM BlackBerry profiles allow you to customize the alerts you get when calls come in, new messages arrive and applications notifications are received. For example, you can use either the default "Vibrate" or "Quiet" profiles to silence your phone for a meeting. Or utilize the "Loud" profile to ensure you don't miss an important call while at a sporting event or other noisy locale. You can even employ a "Phone Only" profile so your device vibrates or rings only when a call is received and not when e-mail or text messages hit your inbox.
BlackBerry devices also allow you to create your own profiles to suit personal preferences and needs, as well as tweak the default profiles. So, for instance, you can create your own "E-Mail Only" profile and set the phone to only vibrate three times for each e-mail message you receive. Or you can tweak your Vibrate profile so that your BlackBerry rings only when, say, your wife or child calls.
To create a new profile for your BlackBerry, click the Profiles icon on your main icon screen. Then, scroll all the way down past the existing profiles to the Advanced option and click it. Within the current profiles list, hit your BlackBerry Menu key again, and choose New Profile . From there, name your custom profile at the top of the next screen and choose your notification types for each of the applications that use alerts, by scrolling down the list and clicking on the app or message inbox.
When you click on an application, "Phone," for instance, you'll then have the ability to set custom "In Holster" and "Out of Holster" notifications, such as whether not you want rings, vibrations or both. And you can also modify volume settings and the number of vibrations for each alert, as well as enable or disable the LED message indicator light.
After you've created a new profile, it will appear in the profiles list with a gold star over the icon.
As mentioned above, you can also customize BlackBerry profiles for specific contacts or groups of contacts. For example, if you're expecting a phone call from a specific coworker, but you don't want to be bothered with calls or message from anyone else, you can set an exception to your default "Silent" profile that will allow for calls or messages from that specific person while blocking all other vibrations and rings.
To get started, click on the Profiles icon on the BlackBerry icon screen and again hit Advanced . In the list of existing profiles, hit the BlackBerry Menu key and choose "New Exception." Name the exception at the top of the next screen, and then scroll down to the "From" field and click the trackball. Next, a list of options appears, from which you should choose "Add Name" and then pick the appropriate contacts from the dropdown list. You can choose more than one name.
After specifying the contacts that you want included as part of the exception, highlight the "Use Profile" field and pick the profile you want applied those contacts. So if you want to receive calls from your significant other and child while the Vibrate profile is set, you should choose both of those names in the Add Name field and then set Use Profile to "Normal" or "Loud." Then hit the Menu button again, save your changes when the dialogue box appears and you're good to go. (Note: If you have multiple profile exceptions that include the same contacts, you may need to deactivate one or all of the others for new exceptions to take effect.)
To delete a profile exception, simply click the Profiles icon on your BlackBerry icon screen, scroll all the way down, hit Advanced and then navigate down to your list of exceptions. Select the exception you wish to get rid of, hit the BlackBerry Menu key, choose "Delete," and confirm that deletion in the next dialogue box.
Download and Install New Themes
The majority of current BlackBerry smartphones ship with three different types of themes preinstalled: Icon, Today and Zen themes. Individual wireless carriers also often include their own branded themes.
Changing or switching back and forth between BlackBerry themes is simple and can be done in a matter of minutes--though each theme must be customized individually and this process can take some time. For instance, if you rearrange the home screen using an Icon theme and then switch to a Zen theme, you'll need to reorder all your icons. However, if you then switch back to the original Icon theme, your icons will still be ordered the way you originally set them.
To switch from one theme to another, click on your BlackBerry Options icon and choose Theme. You'll then see a list of all your available themes. Scroll down to the theme that you wish to make active--the word "Active" will appear in bold next to the theme that's currently in use--and then click your trackball. After a few seconds, you'll be returned to the BlackBerry Options screen. Simply hit Escape -- located directly to the right of the trackball--and you'll return to your main screen.
One of the best ways to find quality BlackBerry themes is to visit RIM's mobile site, which can be located at mobile.blackberry.com, using your BlackBerry browser. (Click the "Fun and Games" icon on the home page and then choose "Themes," to browse the current offerings.) Though the selection isn't exactly wide, RIM's site can determine the specific device you're using based on browser setting to ensure that the theme is compatible with your BlackBerry--and all the themes are free.
Once you've determined your device model and OS version you should also make sure that the site you plan to download the theme from has specified compatibility with your BlackBerry and handheld OS. Always be sure to obtain your themes from a reputable or trusted source.
You can download and install new BlackBerry themes wirelessly (over-the-air), or using RIM's Desktop Manager Software, which ships with every new BlackBerry.
The over-the-air (OTA) download is easiest, as it doesn't require a PC or any additional processes. To download a theme OTA, visit the site from which you want to obtain a theme, and follow the directions for OTA downloads, if available. Such directions will typically call for you to enter an e-mail address associated with your BlackBerry so a message with the appropriate download link can be sent. Once you receive such a message, open it, click the link and follow the download instructions.
In some cases, like when you download themes OTA from RIM's site, you won't need to enter in an e-mail address; rather, all you'll need to do is click a link and you'll be transported to a download page. Once said page opens, click the "Download" link and wait a minute or so for your new theme to download. When the process is complete, a dialogue box appears to let you know, and you'll then be able to access and install the theme via BlackBerry Options and the Theme menu.
Downloading new BlackBerry themes using RIM's Desktop Manger software can take a bit longer and requires an Internet-connected PC, but the process is similar to downloading OTA. First of all, you'll want to ensure you have the latest version of Desktop Manager. To determine which version you're current running, open the program, click the Help icon and choose About BlackBerry Desktop Manager. A dialogue box will appear to tell you which version you're using. Next, surf over on over to RIM's download page, verify you've got the latest version of the software and download and install it if not.
Next, download the theme file to your hard drive. Usually, the file is compressed, and you'll need to "unzip." After doing so, launch Desktop Manager, connect your BlackBerry and open the Application Loader component. When the Application Loader opens, click on the Add/Remove Application option. On the following screen, click "Browse" and then navigate to the location within your PC where the unzip theme file is stored. The file you should select will very likely end in an ".alx" extension.
With the appropriate file selected, click Open within the dialogue box and the theme will then be discoverable by the Desktop Manager software. On the Application Loader screen, scroll down until you see the name of the new theme, check the box next to it if it's not already filled, and then hit Next. The software will then confirm the file is the correct one you wish to transfer to your device. Click Finish and the file will transfer from your PC to the BlackBerry device.
When the process is complete, you'll be able to access and install the theme via BlackBerry Options and the Theme menu.
Once you've downloaded and installed a new BlackBerry theme, you have a number of options to further customize your smartphone. For instance, you can move your application icons around to position them wherever you like. To do so, scroll over any icon on your application icon screen, hit the BlackBerry Menu key--located directly to the left of your trackball--and choose Move. Use the trackball to move the icon into the position you wish and then click the trackball to make it stay in place.
As mentioned above, you can also switch out the background image or wallpaper behind a particular theme, though in some cases doing so may hurt the aesthetic appeal--think Star Trek icons with no U.S.S. Enterprise. To change your BlackBerry wallpaper, simply click the Media icon on you home screen, scroll to the Pictures section and then highlight the image that you wish to set as your home screen graphic. After the image is opened, hit your BlackBerry Menu key, choose Set As Homescreen Image, and then hit either End or Escape a number of times to return to the icon screen.
You'll find plenty of free BlackBerry themes available if you do a bit of searching--we've never paid for a single theme, though we've used piles of them--but lots of reputable sites also sell themes for small fees.
Finally, if you wish to delete a particular theme, simply click on your Options icon, choose Advanced Options and then Applications , and highlight the name of the theme you want to ditch. Next, click your BlackBerry Menu key, choose delete and confirm that you wish to get rid of the selected theme. When the process is complete, you may need to reboot your device.

Touch Screen Tips and Tricks

RIM's first touch screen BlackBerry, the Storm, is also the first RIM smartphone to run BlackBerry operating system (OS) version 4.7, which incorporates a wide variety of new, touch-based keyboard and device shortcuts, as well as gesture-based navigation methods. These 20 tips and tricks will help you get the most out of your shiny, new Storm--and its SurePress touch screen.

On Key: BlackBerry Storm Keyboard Shortcuts

The BlackBerry Storm is touch-screen-based, and as such, it lacks a physical keyboard; however, three types of on-screen, virtual keyboards are available to users: 1) RIM's SureType keyboard, which is a QWERTY keyboard with more than one letter/number on each key (available only in portrait mode); a multitap keyboard that resembles the keys on a traditional cell phone (portrait mode); and a full QWERTY like the one found on your computer keyboard (landscape mode only).
To switch back and forth between keyboards in portrait mode, simply click the BlackBerry Menu key whenever a keyboard is displayed, and click "Enable Multitap" or "Enable SureType."
-To quickly bring up the Storm's onscreen keyboard, swipe a finger upward from the very bottom of the screen to the middle.
-To quickly hide the Storm's keyboard, swipe a finger downward from the top of the keyboard to the very bottom of the device's screen.
-Accented, or "special," characters can be typed via Storm in both portrait (vertical) and landscape (horizontal) views. To enter in a special character while in portrait or landscape mode, such as an ï, bring up the on-screen keyboard, depress the "i" key--but don't click it--and a number of options appear on screen, one of which is ï. To choose that character, simply click it on screen.
--To activate number lock, bring up the onscreen keyboard and then hold down the "123" key for about two seconds until a lock appears on that button. The number pad will then stay on screen until you either hide it or tap the "123" key again to return to the normal keyboard layout.
--To activate capital lock, bring up the onscreen keyboard and then hold down the "Shift/Arrow Up" key for about two seconds until a lock appears on that button. The number pad will then stay on screen until you either hide it or tap the "Shift/Arrow Up" key again to return to the normal keyboard layout.
-To change text input languages, hold the Storm in landscape mode, bring up the virtual keyboard and click the "Globe" key found directly to the left of the Space key. Next, scroll to the desired language, highlight it and click the Storm's screen to select.

Finding Your Way Around the Storm: Navigation Tips and Tricks

-To scroll downward in a message or while viewing a Web page, place your finger lightly at the bottom of the screen--but don't click--and drag upward. To scroll down a full screen's length, slide your finger up rapidly.
- To scroll up, place your finger lightly at the top of the screen--but don't click--and drag it down. To scroll up a full screen's length, slide your finger down rapidly.
-To zoom in on a picture or a Web page, tap the screen lightly twice--but don't click it. (The BlackBerry browser also has zoom in/out options; two separate magnifying glasses for zooming in and out sit at the bottom of the browser screen.) To zoom back out after zooming in, click the BlackBerry Escape key until you return to the original view.
-To "pan," or move around while viewing a web page, hold your finger on the display--but again, don't click--and drag it in the direction you wish to move.
-To quickly switch between active applications from the Storm home screen, hold the BlackBerry Menu key until the Application Switch ribbon appears on screen. Then lightly touch the ribbon and move back and forth to scroll between available apps. To select one, click the screen when a specific app is highlighted.
-To jump from the Storm home screen to the main icon screen, put your finger on the home screen, just above the app dock, and click once. (You can also simply hit the BlackBerry Menu key while on the home screen to access your icon page.)

Text and Messaging Shortcuts for the Storm

-To copy and paste text from one location to another, lightly touch a finger to the Storm's screen at the start of the text you wish to copy. Then hold that first finger in place while you touch the end of the text with another finger. The text in between your digits will then be selected. To copy it, click the BlackBerry Menu key, scroll to "Copy" and click the screen. To paste, follow the same instructions but pick "Paste" instead of "Copy."
-To quickly search your messages for all mailings from a specific contact, find a message from that contact in your Messages application and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the contact's name. After a few seconds, all messages from that contact appear on screen.
- To quickly search your messages for a specific subject line, or to track a thread, find a message with the desired subject line in your Messages application and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the subject line. After a few seconds, all messages with that specific subject appear on screen.
-To precisely navigate to the middle of a sentence, or even a specific word, while typing on the Storm, gently press your finger on the Storm's screen on or around the text or character you wish to edit. Then, with your finger on the display, but not clicking it, slide your finger around until it's exactly where you want it and then let go. The specific character or set of characters will then be highlighted for easy editing.
-To delete multiple messages at once via Storm, open your Messages app and gently hold a finger on a message near the top of the list you want to delete. Keep that finger in place, and then touch another message further down the list. All the messages between your two fingers will then be highlighted. From there, you can click the Delete Messages key at the bottom or the screen to do away with the selected messages. Or you can continue to select older messages by keeping one finger on the selected messages and scrolling down. When new, unselected messages appear beneath your current selections, touch any of them to select it and all the messages between it and your previous selections. Again, hit the Delete Messages key to trash messages when you're ready. To unselect messages at any time, click the BlackBerry Escape key.
-Rapidly scroll through messages by sliding a finger sideway while reading an e-mail or text. Slide your finger to the left while in an open message to skip to newer messages; and slide to the right for older correspondence.

A Storm of Multimedia: Image and Audio Tips

-Scroll through images just as you would messages, by sliding a finger horizontally across the Storm's display. Slide your finger to the right while viewing an image to see newer images; and slide to the left for older pictures.
-To zoom in on an image, tap the screen twice--don't click. Or you can also zoom by clicking the screen one time. Zoom out by hitting the BlackBerry Escape key.
-To "pan," or move around while viewing an image, hold your finger on the display--but again, don't click--and drag it in the direction you wish to move.
-To quickly search your music library for all songs from one specific artist, find a track by that musician or group in a list of songs, and then gently hold a finger on screen directly over the musician's name. After a few seconds, all songs from that artist appear on screen.

Free Up Device Memory

Power users of Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry smartphones need all the device memory they can get. These seven tips can help free up memory and keep your handheld running as smoothly as possible.

Delete Any Unnecessary/Unused Applications

The more applications you have on your BlackBerry, the less free memory that's available to you. New BlackBerrys ship with a wide variety of applications that you may not need or even know about. And you've probably downloaded a number of third-party apps with good intentions, then only used them occasionally if at all.
Deleting unwanted or unused applications is simple, and depending on how many you've got, it can really improve your device's performance.
To delete programs from your BlackBerry, click the Options icon on the device's home screen. Then scroll all the way to the top of the list and select Advanced Options. When you click Applications inside this menu, your device will build a list of all apps on your device. Scroll through them and you'll probably find a number of programs that you don't need. Delete apps by scrolling over them and hitting your BlackBerry menu key. Select Delete and confirm that you want to remove the app when the dialogue box pops up.
A few examples of applications you may want to remove are the Help app, games like BrickBreaker, the Password Keeper and the BlackBerry Messenger--if don't use instant messaging or employ another app, like AIM for BlackBerry. (Note: You often need to restart your device for app deletions to take effect.)

Delete Old/Read Messages and Maintain a Tidy Inbox

Storing old or already-read text, e-mail and PIN messages on your BlackBerry can take a significant bite out of your device's available memory. Get rid of all that clutter.
Click your Messages icon on the BlackBerry home screen to open your messaging application, and then hit the BlackBerry menu key. Scroll down the list until you see Options, in the next menu choose General Options, and then scroll down to Keep Messages. Set that option to the smallest number of days/months you can tolerate. Obviously, the lower the number of days, the more memory you'll free over time. You can keep your messages for as long as you want--forever, if you choose--but 15 days is the shortest time period.
You can also minimize the amount of device memory taken up by messages by keeping a tidy inbox. Don't let your message counter get out of control, if you've got 50 or 100 unopened messages that you already read on your laptop, get rid of them on your BlackBerry. One easy way to delete a bunch of messages without having to go through each one is to hold the left or right Shift key while scrolling through your inbox or outbox. This highlights all the messages you scroll past until you release Shift. Then simply hit your BlackBerry Menu key and select Delete to get rid of the list.
You can also delete all messages sent or received before a specific date. To do so, scroll down to a date line and hit the BlackBerry Menu key. From there, select Delete Prior, and you'll trash all previous messages.

Enable Content Compression:

BlackBerry content compression is meant to decrease the size of the data on your device to take up less memory, and you should take advantage of the option. When enabled, all your device data is compressed, including messages, contacts, calendar entries, tasks, and memos.
To turn content compression on, click the Options key on your BlackBerry's home icon screen, scroll to and select Security Options and then choose General Settings. Once inside the General Settings menu, highlight Content Compression, click your trackball or trackwheel and choose Enabled. Then save your changes by exiting the screen via the Escape key or otherwise and select Save when the Changes Made dialogue box appears.

Remove Excess Media

Some newer BlackBerrys, like RIM's Pearl and Curve devices have cameras for photos and media players for watching video and listening to music. Some BlackBerry devices can also capture video, like the BlackBerry Pearl 8120. Even RIM devices without cameras, like the 8700 and 8800 series handhelds, have media players so users can view images and video downloaded from websites or sent by friends or coworkers. Media files, particularly video files, are quite large and can do a job on your device's available memory.
If you like to store lots of images, music files or video on your device, your best bet is to get an external storage card, like a MicroSD card, so you're not using internal memory for your media consumption. It's also a good idea to do away with any images or video you don't want to keep or other media you don't use frequently.
You can delete media files via PC or Mac using the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software, or you can use your handheld. To do so using just your BlackBerry device, click your Media icon on the BlackBerry home screen and select the type of media files that you wish to delete: music, videos, ring tones, pictures or voice notes. Once you've selected a media type, highlight the file that you wish to remove, hit your BlackBerry menu key, choose Delete and confirm the deletion. (Note: Some preloaded images or file types can only be removed using the BlackBerry Desktop Manager software.)

Optimize Calendar Appointment Settings

Like your Messages application, your BlackBerry calendar stores data on past appointments, meetings and other events. You can free up some device memory by reducing the period of time for which the calendar stores that data. Depending on whether or not you sync your calendar with a BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) and a corporate mail client or frequently enter in meetings and other happenings, you could see a noticeable increase in available memory by tweaking your Calendar app's Keep Appointment settings.
To change those settings, click Calendar on your BlackBerry icon screen, hit your BlackBerry Menu key and choose Options. From there, scroll down to Keep Appointments and set the value to the shortest acceptable time period. Again, like your Message app, the shortest interval is 15 days, but you can also choose to keep appointment information forever.

Erase Your Event Log

BlackBerrys keep a record of the recently run events and processes, called an Event Log. Your Event Log can come in handy if you're experiencing a problem with your device or a specific application or service, because it can be used for troubleshooting. But storing all that information also takes up your BlackBerry memory.
To access your Event Log, go to your Home Screen, hold down the ALT key and then type "LGLG." To get rid of the list of events, hit the BlackBerry Menu key while any event is highlighted and then click Clear Log. A dialogue box will then pop up asking if you're sure that you want to delete the log. Once you confirm the deletion, your log will be cleared. And don't worry. If your IT department is running device management software along with its BlackBerry Enterprise Server, your company likely has its own record of this event log.

Clear Your Browser Cache

As you surf the Internet, your mobile browser caches various information from the sites you visit. That information has to be stored somewhere and that takes valuable device memory. Depending on how often you use your device to access the Web, your cached content may not take up much memory, but it's still a good idea to occasionally clear that cache.
You can clear your BlackBerry Browser's cache by launching the application and clicking your BlackBerry Menu key. Choose Options and then select Cache Options. From there, you can clear your browser's content cache, wipe its pushed content and erase your cookie cache. You need only click the Clear button next to each option to do so. After clicking the button next to content cache, a dialogue box pops up to notify you that the device is cleaning its memory. As soon as that box closes itself, your cache is cleared.

Use Your RIM Smartphone As a Modem for Your PC

As a Tethered Modem
Use your BlackBerry as a tethered modem to connect your computer to the Web and save yourself countless headaches--and a wad of cash. Follow these four steps and you may never have to tinker with public Wi-Fi hotspots in coffee shops, airports or hotels again.
The first step to connecting your Windows notebook or desktop computer to the Internet using your BlackBerry smartphone's data connection: download the BlackBerry Desktop Software from RIM's website or the CD that came with your device. You'll need software version 4.1 or higher to use your BlackBerry as a tethered modem.
This software ensures that you've got the appropriate drivers to enable your BlackBerry to use your computer's USB and virtual COM ports to upload and download Internet data via dial-up connection.
If you find that you're already running an earlier version of BlackBerry Desktop Manager that doesn't support tethering, simply download the updated software from RIM. You may to need repair the software after upgrading if the necessary USB and virtual COM ports can't be found. To do so, simply re-install and select the Repair option.
Now, you will need to create a Web Access Point Name (APN).
Open up your Windows Start Menu and find your Control Panel, within your Settings. Open up your Phone and Modem Options, and specify your local area code, carrier code (if necessary) and numbers that you may need to dial to access outside lines. Then choose whether or not your use a touch tone or pulse telephone connection and hit OK.
From there, select the Modems tab, highlight Standard Modems and click the Properties tab beneath the option. Once the Properties window opens, click on the Advanced tab at the top of the box and in the Extra Initialization Commands field type: +cgdcont=1,"IP","Your Internet APN"
(Note: If you don't know your Internet Access Point Name (APN), you can contact your wireless carrier's customer support representatives. Or you can try to find your APN by clicking the Options icon on your BlackBerry Applications screen, then Advanced Options, and TCP. If the Internet APN name has been saved within the device, it will be listed in this menu. A good old Google search never hurts, either.)
Click OK once you've filled in the Extra Initialization Commands field and hit OK again when the Phone and Modem Options tab reappears.
Windows XP Configuration Process
Windows XP users: Open up your Windows Start menu, mouse over the Connect To option and then click Show All Connections. In the Network Tasks box in the right-hand margin, click Create a New Connection to launch the New Connection Wizard. From there, click Next, choose the Connect to the Internet option and hit Next again. Pick Setup My Connection Manually and hit Next again. Select Connect Using a Dialup Modem, hit Next. Select the Standard Modem option on the Select a Device screen, hit Next again. Within the ISP Name box, type a name for your connection (Carrier name, for example) and once again click Next. In the Phone Number field type *99#, and then select whether the connection is for you alone or for others, as well.
You'll then be prompted for the User Name and Password provided by your wireless carrier upon signing up for the tethered modem service. (If you don't know your User Name or Password, contact your service provider. Again, performing a Google search might help, as well) After you've filled in the appropriate information, click Finish to close the window and open the Connect window. (Some default User Names and Passwords can also be found online.)
When you've successfully created a new connection and the Connect window appears, hit the Properties tab at the bottom and ensure that the Standard Modem box is checked and highlighted. Then choose Configure. Check the Enable Hardware Flow Control box, make sure none of the other boxes are checked and then hit OK. When you return to your connection Properties box, hit OK again.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 users: See additional information on how to configure connections for Windows Vista on RIM's site.
Attach your BlackBerry smartphone to your computer via the USB sync cable that came with your device (or a comparable cable) and launch the BlackBerry Desktop Manager. Open your Windows Start menu, choose the Connect To option and click the name of your new Network Connection. Enter your User Name and Password if you haven't saved it, click Dial, and you're good to go.
As a Bluetooth Modem
To make sure your PC can locate your BlackBerry's Bluetooth connection, you need to set the handheld to be "Discoverable." To do so, simply click the Options icon on your BlackBerry home screen, scroll to and click onBluetooth and hit the BlackBerry Menu key--Menu is located directly to the left of the trackball on 8xxx series devices. Then choose Options from that menu. If the Discoverable field isn't set to Yes, use the associated dropdown menu to switch the value, hit the Escape button--to the right of the trackball--and save your changes when the menu prompts appears. (Note: You can turn off the Discoverable option at any time after pairing a new device by repeating these steps and setting the field to No. )
Next you need to pair your BlackBerry and the PC. Begin by accessing the Windows Control Panel on your PC. Control Panel can be found within the Windows Start Menu . Next click on Bluetooth Devices and then choose Add.
On the following screen, check the box next to "My device is set up and ready to be found," and then hit Next. The PC software will attempt to locate your BlackBerry or other Bluetooth device. If successful and your device is found, click on it to highlight the selection and hit Next again. (If your computer cannot find the BlackBerry, try switching the Bluetooth on and off via the device's Manage Connections or Bluetooth options screen. Additional troubleshooting tips can be found online and via a Google search.)
After you've selected the specific BlackBerry you want your PC to communicate with, check the box next to "Let me choose my own passkey" , type in and record a four-digit number, and hit Next again. Your BlackBerry will then request the passkey you just entered, and after you provide it and click your trackball, the two devices will be successfully paired.
Finally, complete the pairing process by hitting the Finish button in the dialogue box on your PC. When another box appears on your BlackBerry asking if you want to accept the Bluetooth connection, fill in the "Don't ask again" box and choose Yes.
Setting up a new Internet Access Point Name (APN) is the next step in the process. Open your Control Panel again, but this time choose Phone and Modem Options and click the Modems tab. From the list of options on that tab, choose Standard Modem over Bluetooth Link and hit the Properties button at the bottom of the window. Once the Properties window opens, click on the Advanced tab at the top of the box and in the Extra Initialization Commands field type: +cgdcont=1,"IP"," Your Internet APN "
Click OK once you've filled in the Extra Initialization Commands field and hit OK again when the Phone and Modem Options tab reappears.
Open up your Windows Start menu, mouse over the Connect To option and then click Show All Connections. Then click Bluetooth DUN Connections and choose Properties. In that window, click the Networking tab, highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and again choose Properties. A new window will appear, in which you should click Advanced. In that new window, hit General and make sure the Use IP Compression Box is blank. Then hit OK and all windows will close.
Again, launch your Windows Start menu, highlight the Connect To option and then click Show All Connections. In the Network Tasks box in the right-hand margin, click Create a New Connection to launch the New Connection Wizard . Then click Next , choose the Connect to the Internet option and hit Next again. Pick Setup My Connection Manually and hit Next again. Select Connect Using a Dialup Modem , and hit Next . Select only the Standard Modem over Bluetooth Link option and on the Select a Device screen, check the box next to Modem -- Standard Modem and hit Next again. Leave the ISP Name box blank and once again click Next. In the Phone Number field type one of the following options, depending on which wireless technology your phone employs:
You'll then be prompted for the User Name and Password provided by your wireless carrier upon signing up for the tethered modem service. (If you don't know your User Name or Password , contact your service provider. Performing a Google search might help, as well. Some default User Names and Passwords can also be found online. And some carriers do not require this information.) After you've filled in the appropriate data, click Finish to close the window.
From your Network Connections screen, click the Name of Your New Connection , type in your User Name and Password , if required, and click Dial . You'll be up and running in no time. (If you experience problems connecting for the first time, make sure the BlackBerry is linked to the PC via Bluetooth--see step two--close out any applications that may be running on the device and deactivate any Ethernet connections to your PC.

PC World Team

How to Fix Your Friends's PC Problems

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:47:00 +0000

Become a Super Tech Support Guy

When the phone rings in my house, there's a 50/50 chance it's a call for help--tech help. Maybe it's my sister trying to figure out why her wireless mouse no longer works. Maybe it's Dad wanting to know why virus warnings keep popping up on his desktop. (Uh, oh.) Or it could be Aunt Judy looking for the file attachment she knows she saved--but doesn't know where.
Sound familiar? The curse of being even a little tech-savvy is that you automatically get elected Tech Support for friends, family members, and maybe even your coworkers.

It can be a heavy burden to bear, as the interruptions always seem to come right when you're watching the final episodes of Lost or smack in the middle of an Xbox smackdown. I mean, working. They always come when you're working.
Still, these are people you care about (or at least, tolerate), and surely it's a compliment that they look to you as the brains of the outfit. So wear your Computer Repairman badge with honor, and follow these tips to deal with common problems as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Patience Is a Virtue

More often than not, the person you're dealing with will be frustrated, exasperated, and possibly downright angry. (Just like you are when your printer won't print.)
The key here is to be as understanding as possible. Start by assuring the person that whatever happened isn't his or her fault, that these kinds of things happen all the time, to everybody, and that the problem, whatever it is, is just par for the computing course.
In other words, be patient. Let him vent. Give her a shoulder to cry on. Then get down to business. They'll feel better, and you'll be able to work without so much yelling and/or sobbing over your shoulder.

You're Not Superman

When it comes to troubleshooting other people's PCs, think like a physician: "First, do no harm." Before you start deleting drivers, installing utilities, or replacing power supplies, ask yourself if this is a problem you really know how to solve. It's great to be the hero, but the last thing you want to do is make things worse. Know your limits, and know when it's time to call in professional help.

Start With the Obvious: Undo, Reset, Reboot

Tech remedies that seem elementary and obvious to you might be totally foreign to your "clients," so before you roll up your sleeves too far, start with some everyday troubleshooting maneuvers.
For example, I can't tell you how many times I've gotten this panicky call: "I was typing along in Word and all of a sudden my entire document disappeared!" Crazy, right?
Not really: This is often the result of accidental selection of all the document's text, either from pressing Ctrl-A (the Select All command) or an errant brush of a laptop's touchpad, followed by additional typing.
Consider this a teachable moment: "Ctrl-Z is your friend." That's the Undo command in just about every modern application, from Adobe Photoshop to Microsoft Word, and it reverses your most recent action.
In fact, many programs support multiple levels of Undo, meaning your first press of Ctrl-Z reverses the last action, the next press reverses the one before that, and so on. It's like going back in time step-by-step.
Suppose the problem is a sluggish or unavailable Internet connection. Computer neophytes love to blame the situation on viruses, but if you see no other evidence to support that, start with the obvious: resetting the modem and/or router. In my experience, that simple step solves the problem more often than not.
And speaking of resets, don't forget one of the best problem-solvers of all: rebooting the PC. When a program won't run, a printer won't print, or some other mysterious glitch appears out of nowhere, a reboot will frequently do the trick. Not always, but it's definitely worth a try. Same goes for the phone, iPod, printer, GPS, and other gadgets.

Take (Remote) Control of Their PC

Trying to troubleshoot a computer problem over the phone is like trying to tie someone else's shoelaces--when that someone is in a different house. It's a maddeningly slow, often fruitless process, one that usually unfolds like this:
"Okay, open up the Control Panel."
"Where's the Control Panel?"
"In the Start menu."
"Where's that?"
"The Start menu. You know, the Start button?"
"Oh, that. So I should click that?"
"Yes."
"Okay, then what?"
"Open the Control Panel."
"Where's the Control Panel?"
"Look for the thing that says 'Control Panel.'"
"I don't see it."
Fortunately, an easy way to avoid this special kind of hell is to use remote-control software. As long as their Internet connection is working, such software lets your PC take control of the other person's PC, interacting with their system just as though you were actually sitting in front of it. It's a lifesaver and a sanity-saver--and it won't cost either person a penny.
CrossLoop Free (Windows), LogMeIn Express (Windows), and TeamViewer (Windows and Mac OS X) are among the free tools that make this remote control (which is also known as screen sharing) possible.
I'm partial to LogMeIn Express, if only because it's the easiest of the three for the other user--the person needing help--to deploy. Here are the exact over-the-phone instructions you'd give that person:
1. Google "LogMeIn Express," then click the first link that appears.
2. Click the blue Share button.
3. When a pop-up box appears, click the Run button. (Firefox users may need to save the LogMeInExpress.exe file, then run it manually.)
4. Read off the nine-digit code that appears in the LogMeIn Express box.
At your end, fire up your browser, visit the aforementioned LogMeIn Express site, and type the code into the View Another Screen field. Click View, and in a few seconds you should have total control over the other person's system. Now you can poke around, see what's happening, and, hopefully, fix whatever needs fixing.

Don't Forget The Flash Drive

If you can't make any headway via remote control--a definite possibility if the problem is a malware infection, a finicky printer, or the like--it may be time for an in-person visit. But unlike a repairman out to fix a busted dishwasher, you don't need a big, heavy toolbox to deal with most computer-related issues. The only "hammer" required is a flash drive.
Specifically, a flash drive (I recommend one with at least 2GB of storage space) equipped with file-recovery utilities, malware-fighting software, system-diagnostic programs, and other so-called portable apps that can run directly from the drive, no installation required. It's like a multitool for PCs, one you assemble yourself with the applications you like best.
Or, if you prefer, the ones I like best. I never go on a repair call without the following flash-drive freebies:
CCleaner Portable Not so much a problem solver as a system tuner, CCleaner cleans up the Registry, eliminates temporary files, and just generally gives Windows a good scrubbing. It may help a slow PC run faster.
Everything Portable Sometimes the only problem is a missing file. The Everything search engine makes quick work of finding files and folders.
Recuva Portable Virus, drive glitch, user error--who cares how the files got deleted? The point is to get them back. With this free tool, your chances of "Recuva-ry" are about as good as they get. And because you run it from your flash drive, it reduces the chances of the lost file(s) getting overwritten on the hard drive.
SUPERAntiSpyware A few months ago, the so-called AntiVirus Live virus started bombarding PCs with scary, real-looking security warnings and masquerading as a program--Antivirus Live--that would protect and repair them. SUPERAntiSpyware (which sounds like one of the fake programs it promises to remove) can rid a PC of that and other pernicious infections. (Click on the thumbnail below.)
You can find hundreds more portable apps at Pendriveapps.com. Of course, most of these tools have one common requirement: Windows. But what happens if Windows won't boot or keeps crashing? This could be the result of corrupted system files, a major malware infestation, or even a failing hard drive. In any case, Windows-powered utilities won't do you much good. You're going to need a stronger solution.
Like Linux. You can install an entire Linux operating system on your flash drive and make that drive bootable, meaning it'll load the OS without making any changes to your PC. That's one effective way to rescue files and data that are otherwise trapped inside a busted Windows.
On the other hand, if you're just trying to clear out some stubborn viruses, try AVG Rescue CD. True to its name, this free antivirus utility was designed for bootable CDs--but a flash-drive version that works just as well is also available. It boots into a specialized Linux environment that can scan for and remove infections within Windows. It also features a Registry editor, a file-recovery tool, and a file browser, among other helpers.

Share Your Resources

What's the best defense against technology problems of all kinds? Education, of course. Consequently, when you come across particularly helpful articles, how-to guides, and the like--you know, the kind packed in PCWorld and on PCWorld.com--share them with your family, friends, and colleagues. The more they know, the better prepared they'll be when trouble strikes--and all the less likely to call you during dinner.

Rick Broida

Do More with the Middle Mouse Button

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:43:00 +0000

Supercharge the Middle Button

Take a close look at your mouse. Chances are good it has at least three buttons: left, right, and middle. (Note: Your middle button might be your scroll wheel, which on most mice is clickable.) I thought I'd home in on the middle button.
Why would I want to do that? Well, I just took an informal poll of about ten people, and guess how many of them actually use that middle button? A grand total of one. One! People, people, people...

Close Browser Tabs Quickly

First up: browser tabs. I routinely have 10-15 tabs open in my browser at any given time. If I want to close a tab, I have to click it, then click the little X that appears on the tab. That's one more click than I prefer, and it brings into focus a tab I'm planning to close. Crazy, right?
If you middle-click any tab in Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Internet Explorer, boom, it's gone. No need to make it visible first; no need to reach for the X. Just middle-click, boom.

Open Links in New Tabs

When you middle-click a link in Google Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer (not sure about Opera, but I'm guessing so), that link opens immediately in a new tab.
Incidentally, you can accomplish the same thing by holding down the Ctrl key and left-clicking a link. But why bother with that when you can just as easily click the middle mouse button?

Open All Your Oft-Used Sites

Let's say that you use Firefox or Internet Explorer and you've organized a handful of favorite sites--you know, the ones you visit daily--into a folder. Smart move.
Here's an even smarter one: You can instantly open every link in a folder, each in its own tab, by middle-clicking that folder.
This works regardless of where the folder is located: your bookmarks toolbar, your navigation toolbar, even a pull-down menu. One middle-click of a folder and presto: every link therein opens in a new tab.

Scroll In Your Docs

Have you ever wondered what happens when you click and hold the middle mouse button? Glad you asked. This action activates a handy page-scrolling option in applications like Microsoft Word and Excel, Adobe Reader, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.
In other words, when you click and hold the middle mouse button, you can then drag your mouse forward or back to scroll up or down the page, respectively. This feature is intended for folks who don't have a scroll wheel, but it works just as well with scroll wheels--and I know many people who prefer the speed of middle-click scrolling to the slow, steady pace of wheel scrolling.

Customize Your Scroll Speed

After the mouse itself, the mouse wheel is the single greatest navigation tool ever invented. Mine is spinning constantly, especially in Firefox, where I use it to zip up and down Web pages.
By default, however, one "turn" of the mouse wheel scrolls only a few lines at a time--and I want to move faster. Fortunately, there's a fairly easy way to adjust Firefox's scroll speed. Even better, there's a keyboard shortcut that can slow it down again for "precision" scrolling.
Here's how to change the default scroll speed:

Open Firefox, then type about:config in the address bar and hit Enter.
In the Filter box, type mousewheel.withnokey.
Right-click mousewheel.withnokey.sysnumlines and then click Toggle. This should set the value to False.
Right-click mousewheel.withnokey.numlines and then click Modify. Bump the value to 6 or so, click OK, and then switch to another tab to see if you like the scroll speed. (Thankfully, you don't have to restart Firefox every time you make a change.) If not, experiment a bit until you find a number you like.

Quickly Open Web Links

Specifically, when you middle-click a link in Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer (not sure about Opera, but I'm guessing so), that link opens immediately in a new tab.
Incidentally, you can accomplish the same thing by holding down the CTRL key and left-clicking a link. But why bother with that extra half-step when you can just as easily click Middy?
If you're a Firefox or Internet Explorer user and regularly organize your favorite sites--you know, the ones you visit daily--into a folder, then here's an even smarter one: You can instantly open every link in a folder, each in its own tab, but middle-clicking that folder.
This works regardless of where the folder is located: your bookmarks toolbar, your navigation toolbar, even a pull-down menu. One middle-click of a folder and presto: every link therein opens in a new tab.

Instant Scrolling

Ever wonder what happens when you click and hold the middle mouse button? Glad you asked. This action activates a handy page-scrolling option in applications like Word, Excel, Adobe Reader, Firefox, and Internet Explorer.
In other words, when you click and hold the middle mouse button, you can then drag your mouse forward or back to scroll up or down the page, respectively. This feature is intended for folks who don't have a scroll wheel, but it works just as well with scroll wheels--and I know many people who prefer the speed of middle-click scrolling to the slow, steady pace of wheel scrolling.

Rick Broida

Use Your Cell Phone as a Wireless Modem

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:39:00 +0000

Phone as a Modem

Phone Web browsers and apps can handle many of your on-the-go Internet needs, but sometimes you have to use a laptop. What do you do if no Wi-Fi hotspot is in range? That's when tethering--sharing your smartphone's 3G Internet connection with your laptop via USB or Bluetooth--can be a lifeline to the Internet. However, not all wireless carriers officially support it, and, depending on your mobile plan, you could get slapped with some exorbitant data charges.

Check With Your Carrier

Your tethering options depend on your smartphone platform and on your carrier's support--which is important, because if you decide to try it on an unsupported combination, you could be billed extra for your usage or have your service terminated.
If your carrier doesn't support tethering, you can probably still do it with PdaNet (basic version is free), an app by June Fabrics Technology that lets you tether your iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, or Windows Mobile smartphone regardless of your carrier. Just hope that your carrier doesn't notice--if your provider monitors your traffic and discovers that your usage patterns don't resemble those of a typical smartphone user (BitTorrent usage, for example), it could charge you extra or suspend your account.

How to Tether Your Phone

If your carrier has a supported tethering option, it should supply instructions for linking your smartphone and your computer. PdaNet users, on the other hand, have to perform most of the setup themselves.
iPhone users will have to start by jailbreaking their iPhone and downloading the PdaNet iPhone app from Cydia. After that, you can choose to tether with your laptop's Wi-Fi or tether through USB. If you want to tether through USB, you'll have to download the PdaNet Desktop client onto your laptop (note that this won't work if you don't have iTunes installed) and open the PdaNet app on your iPhone to start sharing your Internet connection. Don't forget to secure your jailbroken iPhone, or you might catch a worm.
BlackBerry users need to point their smartphones to http://junefabrics.com/bb to download the latest version of the PdaNet app, as well as to make sure that their laptops have BlackBerry Desktop software as well as PdaNet's BlackBerry Desktop app installed. Once everything is installed on both ends, just open the PdaNet app on the BlackBerry, turn on USB or Bluetooth, and open the PdaNet Desktop app on your PC to start tethering.
Android users have an easy time of it. All you should have to do is download the Android PdaNet app to your PC, install it, and connect your Android handset via USB or Bluetooth to start tethering.

Strip Your Sites

"But I'm paying for unlimited data on my smartphone's data plan," you say. "Why should I pay extra for tethering, or have to buy a separate data plan with a 5GB cap?"
The unfortunate reality is that cellular carriers don't want you to use unlimited data on a laptop, because computers readily engage in more bandwidth-heavy activities (like streaming HD video or downloading large files over peer-to-peer networks) than cell phones do, which puts more strain on the providers' networks.
Whether you're paying for the supported tethering plan or flying under the radar with PdaNet, you'll want to keep your bandwidth usage low and avoid incurring overage fees or attracting the attention of your carrier.
You can start by pointing your browser to the mobile versions of Websites, which are already optimized for a low-bandwidth cellular connection. More often than not, you can find the alternate version simply by typing in m.sitename.com instead of www.sitename.com--mobile Twitter, Facebook, and Gmail, for example, all give you the core functions for less kilobytes.
Alternatively, you can just turn images off in your browser of choice. In Firefox, go to the Tools menu, pick Options, click the Content tab, and uncheck Load Images Automatically. For Internet Explorer, go to Tools, Internet Options, Advanced, then scroll down to Multimedia and uncheck Show Pictures. In Safari, open the Preferences menu option from the Gear icon in the upper right, click the Appearance tab, and uncheck Display images when the page opens. For Google Chrome, you'll have to make a shortcut to the app, open its Properties, and in the Target field paste the text --disable-images at the end of the file path.
Flash apps are great for making the Web look pretty, but they're also bandwidth-heavy, and more often than not you'll be wasting your 5GB cap on attractive advertisements. Download Greasemonkey (for Firefox), an add-on that lets you install user-created scripts, and grab a Flash-blocking script so that you can choose which Flash functions to load. If you don't want to use Firefox, read PCWorld.com advice on how to set up Greasemonkey-like functions for your browser of choice.

Keep Your Routine Lean

Even the most fervent Facebooker probably won't exceed a 5GB bandwidth cap without streaming videos or picking a few big downloads. Here's how you can keep the rest of your Web routine lean.
Don't stream video or audio. If you absolutely must watch a YouTube video, use YouTube's mobile-optimized Website to find the video you want, and then right-click on the Watch This Video link (it should start with rtsp://) and open it in VLC with the Open Network Stream option. The result will be much, much lower quality than YouTube's standard or HD video resolution, and much more bandwidth-friendly as a result.
Watch out for background apps that are used to having an all-you-can-eat broadband connection at your home or office. For example, opening iTunes will prompt it to start downloading any subscribed podcasts you might have missed, and if Windows Update is set to download automatically, it will start grabbing the latest Windows patch.
A few megabytes here and there isn't a big deal; but if you subscribe to lots of video podcasts, you'll probably want to keep it down. RSS readers and e-mail clients, on the other hand, will probably save you bandwidth by pulling down the data you want to read in a more streamlined form.
You won't be able to fit any big downloads in that 5GB limit without drastically cutting down on your browsing activity. If you have another PC at home, however, you can configure uTorrent to open a Web interface that lets you control the machine remotely; as a result, when you get home, your favorite (legally obtained) TV shows will be ready to watch without having eaten up your mobile broadband.

Patrick Miller

Automate Multimedia Tasks in Your PC

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:36:00 +0000

Automate Your PC's Media Library

Using your PC to store your photos, videos, and music might save you the trouble of having to dust off photo albums and alphabetize your CD collection, but it can still be a pain to keep your media converted, stored, tagged, and uploaded.
Here's how to automatically download, convert, and sync your video files, dump your photos to Flickr, and take the pain out of tagging your music library.

Automatically Convert Your Videos (and Sync)

Built-in Webcams, phone cameras, pocket camcorders, HD video on point-and-shoot cameras--you can take a video with pretty much any gadget lying within arm's reach. However, depending on what you plan on doing with those videos, you'll need to convert them into different formats, which can be a fairly time-consuming task for your PC.
If you just need to convert a folder of videos into a certain format (to play on your iPod Touch, for example), Videora iPod Converter can do this basic task. Select the setting recommended for your device, play around with the quality sliders as you see fit, and click the One-Click Convert button at the bottom-right of the screen to bring up a dialog box that will let you drag to select as many files as you want.
Unfortunately, some of Videora Converter's more advanced features don't work well. While it's possible to tell Videora to watch a certain directory for new files, automatically convert them, and add them to iTunes, I couldn't get the directory-watching to work at all, and the iTunes-adding seemed to work infrequently.
I wanted my PC to find the new videos, convert them, and sync them to my iPod Touch without requiring me to do anything, which meant I needed to switch tools. Instead of Videora, I opted to use Handbrake, another popular video conversion app.
Handbrake doesn't make it easy to set up an automatic batch conversion from the graphical user interface (you have to manually add each item), but it does include a separate command-line app that we can work with.
Dust off your DOS skills, ladies and gentlemen--we're going to write a quick batch file (.bat) that will tell our PC to take all the files in the immediate folder (or any nested folders), pass them off to Handbrake to convert into an iPod-friendly format, name them ("filename-ipod.mp4"), and then hand them off to iTunes, which will add them to the iTunes library and sync with my attached iPod.
An app called Alert and Convert that works with Handbrake tries to do the same thing as the batch file described here, but I wasn't able to get it to work 100 percent of the time.
So we've posted a batch-file template in the PCWorld Downloads library, called Automatic Batch Video Conversion. Note that batch files can do lots of things to your PC, and if you're not careful you might be converting a lot of videos.
Right-click on the convertvideotemplate.bat file and select Edit to open it up in Notepad. You should see this:

@for /r %%F in (*.[filetype], *.[filetype]) do (

"[location of handbrake CLI]" -i "%%F" -o "%%~pnF-ipod.mp4" --preset="iPhone & iPod Touch"
move /-y "%%F" "[location of processed videos dir]")
@for /r %%X in (*ipod.mp4) do
(move /-y "%%X" "[location of Automatically Add To iTunes folder]")
start "" "[Location of iTunes app]"
pause
In order to adapt this batch file to work on your PC, you're going to need to fill out each of the bracketed expressions with your own information: For [filetype], put the three-letter suffix of the kinds of files you want Handbrake to process. If I put in (*.mp4, *.flv, *.3gp, *.avi), that means Handbrake will look for all MPEG-4, Flash Layer Video, 3GP, and AVI files.
For [Location of Handbrake CLI], you'll need the path to the Handbrake CLI app. It's typically in the same folder as the Handbrake GUI app, so just right-click on the Handbrake icon in your Start Menu and copy the location. You should end up with something like "C:\Program Files\Handbrake\HandBrakeCLI.exe".
If you're converting your video to something other than an iPod Touch/iPhone format, you'll want to replace the --preset="iPhone & iPod Touch" with a different set of encoding instructions. Here's a list of Handbrake's different preset encodes.
We want to put the original files somewhere else once they're done being processed, or else this script will convert them again on the next go-round. I made a folder on my desktop called "Processed Videos" and pasted that into the [location of processed videos dir] section.
iTunes 9 and later has a folder called Automatically Add To iTunes; we'll use this folder to add our new movies to the iTunes Library. You can find it by going into your User folder and selecting Music, iTunes, iTunes Media, Automatically Add To iTunes. Copy this file path into the [location of Automatically Add To iTunes folder].
Finally, find the path to the iTunes application itself--typically "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe"--and paste that in the [Location of iTunes app] spot. Assuming your iPod Touch is synced to your PC, iTunes should automatically sync on launch.
Once completed, your script should look something like this:
@for /r %%F in (*.mp4, *.flv, *.3gp, *.avi) do (
"C:\Program Files\HandBrake\HandBrakeCLI.exe" -i "%%F" -o "%%~pnF-ipod.mp4" --preset="iPhone &amp;amp; iPod Touch"
move /-y "%%F" "C:\Users\pmiller.PCWORLD\Desktop\Processed Videos")
@for /r %%X in (*ipod.mp4) do
(move /-y "%%X" "C:\Users\pmiller.PCWORLD\Music\iTunes\iTunes Media\Automatically Add to iTunes")
start "" "C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunes.exe"
pause
Now, we have a script that will grab all the videos of a certain type, pass them off to Handbrake, and add them to iTunes when they're done--try and run it with some sample files if you haven't already. Make sure to put the script in the directory you want it to watch for new videos before proceeding any further.
Next, we just need to get it to run automatically. Enter Windows Task Scheduler, which you can find in Control Panel, Administrative Tools, Task Scheduler.
Start by clicking Create Basic Task on the right-hand side. Give it a quick name and description, click Next , and specify how often you want this task to run--we'll say Daily--and a time you want it to run (ideally a time when you're not using the computer, so you don't have to worry about the CPU getting bogged down by converting video).
Click Next again, leave it on Start a program, click Next , and paste the name of the directory you want the batch file to watch over in the Start in (optional) field. (You may need to put the path in quotes if there are spaces in any of the folder names.)

Stay on Top of Your Video Podcasts With Miro

Wouldn't it be nice if you could use one app to keep yourself updated on your Youtube subscriptions, video podcasts (iTunes and otherwise), and Web/TV series? Grab Miro and stay tuned with minimal hassle.
For example, I've been using Miro to keep up with a few of my Youtube subscriptions because I hate checking the Youtube pages, and sometimes I want to watch them on my iPod Touch during my morning commute.
Open up Miro, go to the Sidebar menu and click Add Feed, then paste the following text into the URL: http://www.youtube.com/rss/user/[insert username here]/videos.rss.
Now Miro will automatically download the latest videos as soon as they go up.
Combine that with the auto-convert batch file we just configured, and you can get your Youtube subscriptions delivered to your portable video player of choice every morning.
Miro also includes a built-in BitTorrent client, so you can use your preferred RSS-friendly BitTorrent search engine (LegalTorrents.com is the default option) to stay subscribed to your favorite (legal) TV and Web series.
Just add the RSS feed for the search as a video podcast feed, and Miro will handle the downloads like any other file manager. While it's not as robust as uTorrent or other dedicated BitTorrent clients, you can still configure BitTorrent-specific settings (seed ratios, bandwidth limits, and so on) in the Preferences menu.
Miro works with iTunes podcast subscriptions, too--both video and audio. Open up iTunes, right-click on Podcasts (on the left-hand side of the main window), choose Export, and choose OPML as the format. In Miro, choose Import Feeds (OPML) from the Sidebar menu and select the file you just exported from iTunes.

Keep Flickr Updated With Foldr Monitr

Keeping up with your Flickr uploads can be a pain, especially if your home Internet connection doesn't have the bandwidth to handle a bunch of big JPEG files. You can fix this with Foldr Monitr, a neat little app that can watch a directory for images and automatically upload them to your Flickr account.
Just download Foldr Monitr, run the Setup.exe app to configure it (you'll need to enter your Flickr account information and authenticate it on the Flickr Web site).
Click the Browse button to specify a folder to watch, and check the "Include Subfolders" box if you want it to search all the sub-folders as well. You can set Flickr Monitr to upload your photos to sets according to subfolder name, too--you can do this in the Options menu.
Once everything is configured, Foldr Monitr can just hang out in your System Tray and upload images in the background. If you want it to stick to times when you're not at home (so it won't stop you from using your Internet connection), just set up a task in the Task Scheduler, as we did for video conversion in the video section, that runs at night or during work hours.
You can also incorporate Foldr Monitr into other workflows using your images. If you use Photoshop Elements, you can batch-process a folder full of images by selecting Process Multiple Files from the File menu.
Just define what you want Photoshop to do (apply the Auto Levels and Auto Contrast filters, then resize to 606 pixels wide, and convert to a high-quality JPEG, say) and use the folder that Foldr Monitr is watching as the Destination folder. Once your images are cleaned up, they'll be automatically uploaded onto Flickr.

Use Mp3tag to Organize Your MP3s

Even the most vigilant music maniac can end up with a few dozen MP3s named "Track 1" from "Unknown Album," which is why there are quite a few apps out there that can help you keep your music library tagged, sorted, and properly album-arted. However, we keep on coming back to Mp3tag because it's really good--and it's free (well, donationware).
Just give Mp3tag a directory, and it'll list all your media files for your editing convenience. From here, select a group of files (an album, perhaps) and pick a tag source from the Tag Sources menu--freedb, MusicBrainz, Amazon, or discogs.
You can also pick up album art from Amazon (U.S. or Germany). If the standard ID3 tags aren't enough, you can also edit extended tags (iTunes podcast metadata, for example) in the View menu.
Mp3tag also gets a shout-out for including the oft-ignored Invert Selection option (Control-Shift-A, or choose it under the Edit menu) for those times when it's easier to pick out the three songs you don't want to tag than the 439 that you do.
Bear in mind that Mp3tag is a powerful tool, and you could readily design an organization scheme straight out of High Fidelity. However, if you're syncing your PC's music library to your MP3 player or smartphone, you may find that your reverse-alphabetical-by-drummer's-maiden-name tag system doesn't work too well with a 2.5-inch display. Keep your system simple, and it'll be easier to maintain later.

Patrick Miller

Shoot Great Close-Up Photos With Macro Mode

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:29:00 +0000

Enter the Close-Up World With Macro Mode

Macro photography lets you see the natural beauty of the tiny things all around us. You can get in close to your subject--flowers, bugs, coins, you name it--by activating your camera's macro mode (almost always indicated by a tulip icon), or get even closer by attaching a close-up filter to the front of your lens. Macro shooting opens a whole new world to you, but you'll need to pay attention to certain details such as lighting and aperture. Also check out another tutorial for shooting close-ups for some background, and read on for

Use a Small Aperture for Large Depth of Field

If your camera gives you control over the aperture, use it. A small aperture (like f/11 or f/22) gives you a relatively large depth of field. That setting will make more of the background identifiable. A large aperture (like f/4) gives you a shallow depth of field. Which do you need for a good dewdrop photo? It depends. This shot, taken with a small aperture of f/16, keeps the whole droplet in focus.

Large Aperture Gives You a Narrow Focal Range

More depth of field is often better than less when you're shooting very small subjects, very close up. For example, this photo is basically the same as the previous photo, but this time taken with a large aperture of f/4. Notice that the depth of field is so precarious in this alternate version that the front of the drop is in sharp focus, but toward the back the drop is already blurring. Now that's a narrow depth of field!

Add Some Color to Your Dewdrop

Once you take a few dewdrop photos, you might want to start experimenting. One popular trick is to get some color in the droplet--perhaps the reflection of another flower. Just position a flower behind your subject and move it around until you see it in the drop through the viewfinder, as I did for this photo.

Mind the Background

Macro photos look best when you can reduce the distractions caused by cluttered, blurry backgrounds. When you shoot outdoors, taking pictures of flowers or insects, perhaps, try using the flash. The background will end up quite dark, eliminating the problem. On the left, you can see a flower shot with natural light; on the right, I used a flash to minimize the background.

Go Little-Game Hunting

Some tiny subjects are harder to shoot than others. Check out this dragonfly, for example. To get a shot like this, you'll want to put your camera on a tripod and leave the tripod head loose enough to move the camera as you track your prey. Set the shutter speed as fast as it will go (or use action/sports mode), and apply light pressure to the shutter release to focus on the most important part of the critter. When you're ready, snap the photo--but take a lot of shots. You'll probably get a couple of keepers.

Go Beyond Macro Mode With Add-On Lenses

If you want greater magnification than your point-and-shoot camera can provide on its own, try using add-on lenses. Often called macro filters, these inexpensive lenses--available from your camera's manufacturer attach to the front of your camera's built-in lens. Though not every camera on the market can work with macro filters, many can. I took this shot with a point-and-shoot camera set to macro mode, with a +1 filter attached.

Combine Macro Filters to Get Closer

You can combine close-up lenses by threading them together. Adding a +1 lens to a +2 lens, for instance, yields the impressive +3 magnification that you see here. For that reason, I suggest getting close-up lenses as a set instead of one at a time; you can then combine them as you see fit to obtain the magnification you need for a given picture. When combining close-up lenses, put the highest magnification on first, closest to the camera lens. That way, you can remove the lenses in smaller increments to achieve just the right magnification.

Dave Johnson

Customize Your Android Phone

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:24:00 +0000

Take Control of Your Android Phone

One of Android's biggest strengths is its flexibility. Unlike Apple and its iPhone, Google lets users and third-party developers tweak just about every aspect of the Android interface, and the customization options are nearly endless. If you find something that you don't like about your phone, odds are good that you can change it. From the desktop wallpaper to the notification sounds to the blinking LED indicator light, Android is easy to personalize. Here's how to give Android your own personal flair.

Change Your Phone's Look and Feel

The first thing you might want to customize is your phone's background. This couldn't be easier to accomplish: Tap the phone's Menu key, and then pick Wallpaper. You can select a picture from among your own photos or from the phone's included collection of wallpaper backgrounds. Beginning with Android 2.1, you can also choose any of several "live wallpapers" that move and sometimes respond to your touch.
Power Tip: You can set a photo as your wallpaper directly from your phone's gallery. While viewing an image, just tap anywhere on the screen, and then select Set as to find the option for making that picture the wallpaper. Or, if you want to expand your options, try using an app such as Backgrounds, a free download from the Android Market. The program gives you thousands of wallpaper designs to choose from and to apply directly to your phone.

Design Your Home Screens

The wallpaper is only the beginning--with Android, no two sets of home screens have to look alike. Thanks to the platform's wide range of widgets, there's almost no limit to the number of ways you can configure your phone.
Widgets come in all shapes and sizes. Several are preloaded on your phone, but many others are available either as stand-alone downloads or as part of full-fledged applications in the Android Market.
When you see an app refer to a 1x1 widget, that means the item will take up the space of a single shortcut-size square on your home screen; a 2x1 widget is two squares across but one square high, and so on. Though some widgets claim entire rows, you can find many useful widgets that occupy only one or two squares of desktop real estate, allowing you to make the most of your home-screen space.
Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

Check out the free Weather Channel app. It includes a nice 1x1 widget that will detect your current location and keep you up-to-speed with the latest weather conditions, wherever you are.
For calendar power, try the highly customizable CalWidget, also free. It can put your upcoming appointments on your home screen in practically any size and color scheme you want.
Pandora's free app includes a 4x1 widget that gives you on-screen controls for your online music stream.
The free VizBattery widget will put a handy 1x1 battery icon on your home screen so that you can always see exactly how much juice is left in your phone.
If you run a blog or Website with Google Analytics, take a peek at the Analytics Widget. It shows you your total page views for the day in a 1x1 size.

Remember, each home-screen panel can hold any combination of widgets, shortcuts, and folders. Play around with different setups until you find the configuration that works best for you.

Set Your Own Sounds

Itching to make your phone sound the way you want? Start by tapping the Menu key and selecting the Settings menu. From there, tap Sound and display.
All of the basics should now be in front of you, including options to set the default system ringtone, the notification sound, and the general volume levels.
You might notice that your own MP3s don't appear in the list of ringtone choices. That's because your phone doesn't yet see them as system sounds. Fortunately, this isn't hard to fix: Make a new folder on your memory card called 'ringtones' and copy MP3s into it, and they'll automatically show up in your selection list.
Power Tip: Want to set your own MP3 music files as notification sounds or alarms, too? Just repeat the process described above, naming the folders 'alarms' or 'notifications' instead. And if you find yourself wanting to snag a certain piece of a song--say, the catchy chorus that starts 45 seconds into your favorite tune--grab the free RingDroid app from the Android Market. With this app, editing MP3s so that you can get the exact sound clip you need is a cinch.

Get Advanced With Audio

The aforementioned settings handle the system's default sounds, but you can also customize ringtones and notifications for specific people or programs.
To change the ringtone for a specific person, open that person's profile in your phone's contacts list. Press the Menu key, and then tap Options and Ringtone. Whatever audio file you select will serve as the ringtone only when that person calls you.
Most programs have similar options to alter notification sounds individually. While you're in an app, tap the Menu key and select Options or Settings. If the app offers notifications of any type, you should see a way to set the sound, to select whether it'll be accompanied by a vibration, and to choose whether it'll add a visual notification to your notification panel.
Power Tip: Use these options to customize how you want to be notified for different events. You might, for example, want to hear a sound and get a vibration when new e-mail messages arrive on your personal Gmail account--but receive only a visual notification without any sound when messages come into your work e-mail. You can apply the same principle to text messaging, Twitter apps, Facebook apps, or practically any other service associated with alerts.

See the Light

Most Android handsets come with an LED indicator. By default, the LED usually flashes different colors to alert you to a missed call, to new e-mail, or to a new text message. But you can make the indicator do much more.
Expand your phone's notification functionality with Missed Call, a free app available in the Android Market. Missed Call harnesses the power of your handset's LED, letting you set the light to flash certain colors when specific events happen. You could, for instance, program it to flash orange when you miss a call from your boss and purple when you miss a call from your spouse; you could even set flashing LED colors to alert you to pending calendar events and other customizable circumstances.

Make Your Phone Do the Dirty Work

Customizing your phone doesn't just make your device cooler--as the following tips illustrate, it can also make your life easier.
Have an annoying relative or coworker who can't take a hint? Route that person directly into your voicemail, and you'll never be bothered by his or her calls again.
To perform this bit of Android magic, make sure that you've entered the offending person's information into your phone's contacts list. Open the person's profile, and then press the Menu key. Select Options and check the box for Send calls directly to voicemail. (You might also say "abracadabra," just for good measure.)
You can more broadly define how your phone handles calls and other tasks by installing FoxyRing, available for free in the Android Market. This program allows you to set custom parameters for your phone based on your location. You could have it always automatically switch to silent mode when you're at your neighborhood movie theater, for example, or always toggle to vibrate-only mode when you're inside your office building. FoxyRing also allows you to set certain "sleeping hours," during which time your phone won't ring at all.
Power Tip: For even more robust options, consider either Setting Profiles or Locale. Both of these apps--available in the Market for $3 and $10, respectively--let you set your phone to do all sorts of things based on conditions such as location, day and time, and battery status. The apps can alter everything from advanced sound settings to power settings, and even perform complex actions such as opening other programs when specific conditions are met.

Navigate in Style

Depending on your device, using hotkeys to navigate your phone might save you some time. Android has its own built-in set of keyboard shortcuts (see "Android Keyboard Shortcuts" for a full list), but you can also create your own.
From your home screen, tap the Menu key and select Settings. Next, choose Applications and then Quick Launch. There, you'll be able to set keyboard-based hotkeys for any app on your phone.
When it comes to Web navigation, don't think you're stuck with Android's default browser. You can customize Android with third-party alternatives that offer powerful functionality not found in the stock program. Try the free Dolphin Browser for options such as multitouch zooming, gesture-driven control, and seamless link-sharing to Twitter and other social networks.
As for file navigation, you can browse and manage an Android phone as you do a computer--you just need an app to make it happen. Download a file manager such as Astro. It allows you to navigate through your phone and storage-card directories, and to move and delete files at will.

Autocomplete Yourself

Last but not least, Android's autocomplete technology can do more than merely suggest words as you type; it can also help you by filling in the phrases and proper nouns you use most often.
The secret is to edit Android's custom dictionary. Tap the Menu key from your home screen and go to Settings, Language and keyboard, and then select User dictionary. Try adding your name, your street address, or any phrase you find yourself typing often (for example, "I'm in a meeting. Will call you back when I can").
From now on, those terms will pop up in the autocomplete list as you type. Hey, they don't call it a smartphone for nothing.

JR Raphael

How to install Windows 7 on Mac OSX with Boot Camp

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:14:00 +0000

Install Windows 7 on Apple Mac OSX using Boot Camp

One of the biggest concern for people thinking of investing in an Apple MacBook is their fear of letting go of the tried-and-tested Windows operating system and embracing a new OS in the form of Apple's Mac OSX. Well, fear no more. Ever since Apple embraced Intel processors and chipsets in its Macbook and iMac line of computers, dual-booting with Microsoft's Windows operating system was possible with a tool Apple provided, Boot Camp. In this tutorial we will guide you through a step-by-step procedure of installing Windows 7 on your Macbook (or an Intel-chipset based iMac), and it isn't difficult at all.

We used a 15-inch Apple MacBook Pro Core i5 2.4-GHz for the purpose of this tutorial. You can, however, use this guide on any of your Intel-enabled MacBook or iMac computer. You will need: a) An original Windows 7 installation disc; b) Apple Mac OSX install DVD; c) A wired Internet connection.

The first step in installing Windows 7 on Mac OSX and Macbook is to ensure you apply all the latest updates. Press Command and Space key together to launch Spotlight at the top right bar, and search for 'Software Update'. In the Apple Mac OSX Software Update screen click on Check Now to look for and install any impending updates. After applying software updates and rebooting, launch Boot Camp Assistant from Spotlight. Click on Continue and select the partition size for your Windows 7 installation -- ideally try to divide the hard drive into equal partitions. After partitioning the drive, insert your Windows 7 installation DVD to begin installing Windows 7 on your Mac OSX.

If you have never installed Windows 7 before (either on your laptop or desktop computer), here's what to expect. Windows will load all the necessary files required to setup Windows 7 (you will see this message on a black screen). Soon you will see a blue splash-screen where Windows 7 will ask you to select your preferred language, time and currency format, and keyboard input method -- we recommend keeping everything at default at this stage. Next you will see a setup start screen and Microsoft will ask you to agree to its Windows software license terms -- just check the box and proceed forward. Click on the Custom Installation option in the next window, and Windows will greet you with a screen asking you where to install Windows 7. Always choose the disk partition labelled Boot Camp in bold and format it and click on next. You will now see Windows copying, expanding files and installing features and updates before completing installation of Windows 7. The actual Windows 7 installation should take up about 30 minutes on the Apple Macbook.

Soon after installing Windows 7 and at first boot, you will see Windows preparing your desktop screen for the first time. Enter in a username and password for your user account on Windows 7. At the next screen you should enter the unique 25-character Windows 7 original key -- you can untick the box and enter in the key later, no problem. Click on recommended protection settings to finish installation of Windows 7 and seeing the first glimpse of Windows 7 desktop screen on Apple Mac OSX. Now time to pop out the Windows 7 disc and pop in Apple Mac OSX installation DVD that you received with your Macbook/iMac.

The Apple Mac OSX DVD will autoplay -- if not double-click on the DVD drive in Windows to launch Boot Camp Installer on Windows 7. All you have to do is click on Next and accept Apple's software license agreement to proceed forward to Boot Camp installation. Make sure you tick the box for Apple Software Update for Windows. Time to just sit back and watch Boot Camp as it installs all the necessary chipset, graphics, and networking drivers for Windows 7 on your Macbook/iMac. After installing all the drivers, you will be informed that Boot Camp has successfully installed on your computer.

That's it! Now you can dual boot with Windows 7 and Mac OSX on your Apple MacBook or iMac. When in Windows, you can click on the Boot Camp icon in the taskbar to reboot into Mac OSX and make other changes. Enjoy.

Jayesh Shinde

How to Set Up a Virtual Private Network

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:12:00 +0000

How to set up a VPN

If you work on the go fairly often, you've probably hopped on a public wireless network at least once or twice. You should have also figured out how to keep your data safe when you're on such a network, by taking precautions such as using your company's virtual private network--if available--or an encrypted Web tunnel such as Hotspot Shield. If you don't have a company VPN and you don't want to deal with Hotspot Shield's banner ads, however, you can still secure your wireless traffic without breaking the bank by setting up your own VPN and gaining a private, encrypted Internet connection free from eavesdroppers.

Tunneling Your Traffic

Whether the public wireless network you use is password-protected or pay-per-minute, anyone who connects to the network could spy on your HTTP traffic--restaurant patrons, other people in your airport concourse, or other paying subscribers of a commercial hotspot provider. You can fix this problem by creating an encrypted tunnel through which you can send Web traffic that originates at your laptop and ends at a known location (the tunnel "endpoint"). From there, the tunnel routes your Web requests to the public Internet. Of course, once the traffic is outside the tunnel, it's subject to the usual potential scrutiny--from ISPs, law enforcement, or the like--but while your data is traveling through the public-access Wi-Fi hotspot, your Web surfing is secure.

In the diagram above, regular users of the coffee shop's wireless hotspot take the direct route to a Website (in red), but you use an encrypted tunnel (in blue) to shield yourself in the hotspot network. Once you are at your tunnel endpoint, your Web traffic travels through the Internet via regular unencrypted methods (again, in red) to arrive at the destination Website.

Easy, Cheap Security via SSH

The easiest way to set up your own VPN starts with paying a monthly fee for a hosting company to do all the difficult work of obtaining a server, installing an operating system, and making sure the server stays online 24 hours a day with plenty of backup generator power. I prefer this approach because you don't have to fuss with any firewalls back at home, and you don't have to leave a computer running when you're on the road.
Any inexpensive shared-hosting provider will do for your purposes, as long as the company provides access to a secure shell (SSH) server. SSH was created as an encrypted version of telnet, one of the Internet's original protocols, used to send character information between computers. (If you've ever seen a Hollywood computer thriller showing a green screen and hackers typing away furiously, they're probably using SSH or telnet, depending on how well the screenwriters did their research.) I personally prefer HostGator, which has a large data center in Houston. The company's basic "Hatchling" hosting package is about Rs. 250 per month, so for just eight Rupees a day you can have your own secure tunnel. Once HostGator creates your account, you receive your login information and your assigned server. From there, you can set up an impromptu Web proxy by issuing SSH commands. I'll demonstrate both OS X and Windows versions; Linux users can follow along and make minor adjustments where necessary.

Get an SSH Client

OS X ships with a command-line SSH client, so all you need to do is open Terminal (located in the Utilities folder within your Application folder). You will see a command prompt that has your username and your computer's name, followed by the $ symbol. All of the commands in the following sections will be things that you type just beside that symbol. On Windows, you need to download an SSH client. You have many to choose from, but a popular freeware client is PuTTY.

Test Your SSH Server

Using the login information from your hosting provider, you can open an SSH session on OS X by entering the portion shown below in bold after the $ symbol:
$ ssh username@server.websitewelcome.com
On a Windows machine, start PuTTY and enter the server name that your hosting provider gave you. Select the SSHradio button under 'Protocol'. The Port field should be set to 22 (the default SSH port). Click the Open button.

Since this is the first time you're connecting to this server, both OS X's client and PuTTY will display an alert and prompt you to confirm the host's fingerprint. (This should happen only once; thereafter, your SSH client will confirm that the fingerprint hasn't changed. If it does change, that could indicate that your connection has been tampered with.) You'll see text similar to the following:
The authenticity of host ‘server.websitewelcome.com' can't be established. RSA key fingerprint is 11:22:33:44:55.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting? Yes
Once you confirm the fingerprint, PuTTY will prompt for your username and password. OS X will prompt for the password only, because you provided the username on the command line already.
After you're logged in, you should see a prompt showing that you are now connected to the command line of the remote server; notice that the server name preceding the $ has changed to reflect the remote system:
login as: username
Using keyboard-interactive authentication.
Password: *********
Last login: Fri Jan 01 02:03:04 2010 from 1.2.3.4
username@server $
Now that you know you have a working SSH server, you can continue to set up your tunnel. Type the command exit to close your SSH session.

Local Listeners and Remote Endpoints

Here's where things get a bit confusing, so read carefully. You need to configure a port on your local computer (a "listener") that will take any packets you throw at it and stuff it into an SSH encrypted session. At the other end of the tunnel, the traffic will dump out on your SSH server. In the following sections, I'll show you how to configure your Web browser to proxy your traffic through this local listener. Even though conceptually it seems that you would want to point the Web browser to the remote server, you will technically be pointing it at "localhost," which is a special name for your local computer.

You'll need to tell your SSH client to connect to the SSH server and open a tunnel that begins on your laptop (localhost) on port 8888 and terminates at the SSH server, where the data will then be forwarded to the final destination Website.

Create Your SSH Tunnel

The process is straightforward on OS X and can be represented in one command:
$ ssh -ND 8888 username@server.websitewelcome.com
The 'N' option tells the SSH client that you do not want an interactive session (a command prompt), because you just want to set up a tunnel. The 'D 8888' option tells the SSH client to set up a "dynamic" port-forwarding tunnel on port 8888. The tunnel is dynamic because the destination Website will change depending on where you are surfing; other port-forwarding tunnels have static rules, but for Web browsing you want the dynamic version. After issuing the command, you will be prompted for a password and then ... nothing will happen. Actually, if the command works, the port will be open, but you will not receive any confirmation within Terminal. OS X folks can proceed to the next section.

For Windows, start PuTTY again, scroll down the 'Category' listing on the left to 'Connection', and expand the 'SSH' category to select Tunnels. Select the Dynamic radio button, enter 8888 for 'Source port', and then click Add. Now click the Open button. After you enter your password, your tunnel should be created. No confirmation message will display within the command prompt.

Try Out Your New Tunnel

Now it's time to test things out. Fire up your Web browser, visit What Is My IP Address, and take note of the IP address displayed. This is the public IP address that the rest of the world sees when you connect from your current location (home, work, school, or the coffee shop). Once you change your Web proxy settings, you'll need to come back to this site to verify that the Internet believes you are visiting "from" your SSH server, confirming that your Web browsing is secure from eavesdropping by other Wi-Fi hotspot users.
Internet Explorer users should go to the Tools menu and select Internet Options. From this dialog box, select the Connections tab (fifth from the left) and click the LAN Settings button at the bottom. In that pop-up dialog box, select the checkbox next to Use a proxy server for your LAN. Now click on Advanced. Next to 'SOCKS' enter localhost for the address and 8888 for the port; leave all the other fields blank. Click OK three times and go to What Is My IP Address again. Your IP address should now reflect that of the SSH server.

Mozilla Firefox users on Windows should go to the Tools menu and select Options, while OS X Firefox users should go to the Firefox menu and select Preferences. Thereafter, users on either platform should select the Advanced category (a gear icon) and then the Network tab (second from left), and click the Settings button.
Select Manual Proxy Configuration. Next to 'SOCKS Host', enter localhost for the address and 8888 for the port; leave all the other fields blank. Choose the SOCKS5 radio button if it isn't already selected. On Windows, click OK twice; on OS X, simply close both preferences windows. Visit What Is My IP Address again. Your IP address should now reflect that of the SSH server.

Safari users on OS X should go to the Safari menu and select Preferences. Select the Advanced category (a gear icon) and then click the Change Settings button next to 'Proxies'. This will open System Preferences for your current network connection. On the Proxies tab, select the checkbox next to SOCKS Proxy and then enter localhost for the address and 8888 for the port. Click OK, Apply and then close System Preferences. Visit What Is My IP Address again. Your IP address should now reflect that of the SSH server.

Run Your Own SSH Server

Congratulations: You now have a secure tunnel through which you can use public Wi-Fi securely. But what if you ignore my advice and you don't want to pay a monthly fee to a hosting company? You can run your own SSH server. This approach isn't for everyone, however--don't continue with the following steps unless the previous sections were very easy for you to understand. You will also need to know how to allow a connection through your home DSL/cable router (or, if you're at the office, how to alter your firewall).
This approach will also make your connection interesting to network scanners that look for open ports on the Internet. Additionally, you will have to keep the computer you use for the server running all the time back at home, which may rack up more electricity usage and more noise pollution than your significant other or roommates, will tolerate. I strongly suggest using a hosting provider, but if you truly understand the risks involved and you want to run your own SSH server, continue reading. This is what your configuration will look like:

OS X users are in luck: An SSH server is built in to the operating system. Simply open System Preferences and open the Sharing category. Under the Services tab, select the checkbox next to Remote Login (aka SSH Server). That's all! You can skip down to the next section.
For Windows users, a number of free and inexpensive SSH servers are available (sometimes referred to as SSHD--the "D" is for daemon, which is a way of saying "server" in geek-speak). The one I'll use in this example is WinSSHD version 5 from Bitvise; it's available at no cost for personal use. Run the installer and select the Personal Edition (for companies, the Standard Edition is an excellent and inexpensive choice). The control panel will load after installation and show the Easy Settings wizard. All of the defaults are appropriate for your purposes right now, so just click Cancel. Click the Start WinSSHD link highlighted in blue to start the SSH server.

Test Your SSH Server

I won't go into detail about properly disabling your local laptop firewall or your network firewall to allow port 22 to receive incoming connections--if you've read this far, you're an advanced user who knows how to do that already. Your next step is to test your SSH server, so you'll use some of the commands described in previous sections. OS X users should enter the following command:
$ ssh username@localhost
Windows users should start up PuTTY and enter localhost for the server address. You can use your own password that you use to log in to your laptop. Remember that this is a new connection, so you will likely see a fingerprint-verification prompt. If it doesn't work, double-check your firewall or other security software that might be blocking your connection.
Next, try to connect from the outside back to your SSH server. Create a test account on your local computer and ask a friend to test the connection using the password for this test account. Your friend should follow the same steps in configuring the SSH client software and his or her Web browser as presented in the previous sections.

Never Surf Naked

Now you've seen how easy it is to use a secure tunnel for your Web browsing when you are on a public-access Wi-Fi hotspot. Use the free Hotspot Shield service, set up your own SSH server at home, or use an inexpensive hosting provider--but never, ever surf "naked" again!

Steven Andrés

Photography: Waterfalls And Moving Water

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:05:00 +0000

Taking a Photo of Waterfalls and Moving Water

While I'm not a huge fan of camping or long, multi-day hiking trips, I do love visiting waterfalls. There's something about the rush of water that's both exciting and beautiful. It's one of my favorite photographic subjects. Taken with a slow shutter speed, water blurs into a deceptively tranquil image that effectively conveys the impression of motion in a still photograph--not entirely unlike shooting fireworks.

Let's take a look at how to capture some exciting and attractive photos of water in motion, so you're all set to go when the time comes to grab your camera and hiking shoes.

It's All About the Shutter Speed

The most important rule for shooting waterfalls (and all sorts of moving water) is to use a slow shutter speed. How slow? Anywhere from about a half second to 2 seconds will do nicely. If you use a very fast shutter speed, you will freeze the motion of the water, like the shot seen above.

The longer the shutter stays open, the blurrier things get. The above shot is what you can expect with about a second. As you can see, the longer the exposure, the blurrier and more abstract your scene becomes.

Preparing for the Shot
Since you need to shoot with a slow shutter speed, you should set your camera to its Shutter Priority or Aperture Priority mode and dial in an appropriate shutter setting. Be sure that your camera is set to the lowest possible ISO, since a higher ISO setting will make the camera more sensitive to light, and therefore shoot with relatively faster shutter speeds.

In addition, be sure to mount the camera on a tripod. Without one, your photo will be a blurry mess.

Taking the Shot
Since the shutter will be open for a while, even slight vibrations can blur the overall photo. When I shoot waterfalls, I use a remote trigger for my camera. A remote trigger can come in the form of a wireless remote or a cable that plugs into your camera, so you might want to check your camera's user guide to see if such an option is compatible with your model.

If you don't have a remote trigger, you can get a similar result just by using the camera's self-timer--turn on the timer, press the shutter release, and then step back so you don't touch the camera until the shot is completed, about 10 seconds later. (See the shot above.)

Avoiding Overexposure
Capturing those dreamy, blurry waterfalls and river rapids is pretty easy once you figure out the basics--stuff like using a tripod and a setting a slow shutter speed. You might notice, though, that some parts of your photos turn out somewhat overexposed. The problem is that the total range of exposures, from the bright, reflective water to the darker foliage and shadows, is greater than your camera is capable of capturing in a single shot.

One popular solution is to use a neutral density filter. A neutral density filter screws onto the front of your lens (if your lens has threads, as do most Digital SLR lenses, and some point-and-shoot cameras) and reduces the amount of light reaching your camera's sensor. That will help reduce or eliminate the worst of the overexposures.

Another option is to take a series of photos at different exposures and combine them afterwards using High Dynamic Range software. If your camera has a bracketing mode, it's easy to take a series of three or five photos at varying levels of under- and over-exposure. I explained how to create HDR photos in my two-part series, "Stunning Photos With High Dynamic Range, Part 1" and "Stunning Photos With High Dynamic Range, Part 2."

This is a fun technique to experiment with, and--if you have access to HDR software like Photomatix Pro--you can get waterfalls with significantly more color and detail in the water than with an ordinary, single exposure at mid-day.

Dave Johnson

Six Tips to Secure and Protect Your Android Phone

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 10:01:00 +0000

Keep Your Android Phone Safe

Google's Android Market mobile software shop was hit last week with its first major malware attack; a popular application called "DroidDream" proved to be infected with malicious code that could steal users' personal information, and Google was forced to use a built-in Android "kill-switch" to do away with the problematic app--but not until after it had already infiltrated thousands of Android smartphones.

The Google Android platform has never been more popular; in fact, Android now holds a commanding 31 percent of the U.S. smartphone market share, making it the most popular smartphone OS in the US, according to ComScore.
Android has also never before represented such a significant target for hackers and other baddies looking to profit off of the platform's popularity. In other words, now is the time to get smart about Google Android security. The following six tips and tricks will help do just that.

1) Protect Your Android with a Password--Now!The single most effective security measure you can take to protect your Android device is to lock it with a password. It sounds simple, but a strong password--or even a weak one--will protect you and your smartphone from the vast majority of threats; if a malicious party can't get past your password screen, your data and everything else on-device is generally secure.

Depending on the model of your Android smartphone, you'll have a variety of password options, but they're all accessed in mainly the same way. Open up your Android Settings menu and scroll down to the section called Location & Security Settings or something similar. First, enable Screen Unlock Security and you'll then be presented with a number of password options, depending on your device.

For example, my Motorola Atrix 4G provides password options for a Pattern Lock, for which you can set a specific "swipe pattern" to unlock your device; a PIN Lock that uses numbers to secure your handheld; a Password Lock, for which you can employ both letters and numbers; and finally, a biometric-based Fingerprints Lock that employs the Atrix's fingerprint reader for authentication.

Though the Fingerprint Lock is the most secure option...I'm a bit wary of storing my biometric information on Google's servers, so I opt for the Password Lock. In order of "secureness," the Fingerprint Lock is most secure, followed by the Password Lock, PIN Lock and finally, the Pattern Lock. But using any one of these Android password security options is better than not using one at all.

(Note: If you choose to employ the Pattern Lock option, it's a good idea to frequently wipe your touch screen clean, since repeated entry of your pattern lock can leave a "trail" that can be spotted by hackers and used to gain access to your device.)

After you set your Android password, you should set your Screen Timeout options to a relatively low option, so your device display shuts off and locks itself shortly after you last touch it. To do so, open up the Android Settings menu, scroll down and select Display. On the following screen, locate the Screen Timeout option and pick a value--I suggest one minute or less for maximum security.

2) Customize Locked Home Screen with Owner InfoImagine you accidentally leave your smartphone at a bar. A good Samaritan locates the device and wants to get it back to its rightful owner...but it's locked and the home screen shows only a beautiful, albeit useless, ocean vista.

This scenario plays out all the time, and if more smartphone owners only added owner information to their devices' home screens, many more lost devices would likely be returned. Unfortunately, Android doesn't have any built-in option that lets you post owner information on your device's locked home screen, like other mobile platforms, including Research In Motion's (RIM) BlackBerry OS. But a couple of third-party applications will do the trick.

My favorite option for adding owner information to your Android home screen: the Phone Found - Owner Info app, which is available for free via the Android Market. To customize the Owner Info app, simply launch the software, hit the Edit menu options and enter in your contact information. You can then open up the app's Settings and choose which information you want to display on your device's locked home screen.

3) Do NOT Root Your Android DeviceTo "root" your Google Android device means to remove a number of manufacturer- and wireless-carrier-imposed restrictions put on your smartphone to make it easier for said parties to install and deliver the applications and services they want you to employ, among other things.

Rooting also opens up system-level access to your device's core resources, which is not a good thing, at least from a security perspective, since doing so also removes a number of safeguards installed to help protect your device from malware and other potentially dangerous code.

Unless you're a developer or someone who is very familiar with Android and you're simply willing to take your chances, you should NOT root your Android device. Ever. Not rooting might mean limited access to some cool, custom applications and services, and you won't be able to download apps from many unofficial third-party app stores. However, avoiding a root does vastly increase security, because in large part applications can't gain system-level access without a root.

Bottom line: Don't root your Android device. But if do, beware that in rooting your smartphone, you're significantly reducing your device's existing security safeguards.

4) Stick to the Official Android Market for AppsIt's a good idea to be very selective about where you download your Android mobile applications. In fact, I suggest only downloading applications from Google's Android Market, even though the whole DroidDream situation proves the official Android Market is not 100 percent free of malware and other harmful apps. (Following the DroidDream debacle, Google did, however, vow to bolster Android Marketplace security.)

Every once and a while, I'll download an Android app from a source other than the Android Market, but I'm always aware of the potential danger, and I always use some type of antivirus scanner after the download to help ensure security--more on Android antivirus coming up in the next section.

As a rule of thumb, it's a wise idea to get your Android software directly from Google's Android Market.

5) Google Android AntivirusA good mobile antivirus app scans new Android software downloads for obvious signs of tomfoolery, such as strange permissions- or download-requests. And a number of free and commercial, or paid, Android antivirus apps are currently available in the Android Market.

I can't personally vouch for the effectiveness of them all, but in general, running one of the more popular antivirus apps is better than not running any antivirus at all. The app I've used most is Lookout Mobile Security. Lookout is available as a free download, with a basic antivirus scanner, Find-My-Phone features to help locate lost or stolen devices and backup/restore options. You can also upgrade Lookout for more in-depth security features, but the free version should provide basic protection for average users. Another free antivirus option is the aptly named Antivirus Free app.

Even if you choose not to constantly run an Android antivirus application, it's a good idea to download one and scan your device occasionally for potentially harmful apps.

6) Android Wireless Connectivity and SecurityIn general, it's a wise idea to disable any and all unused wireless-connection options on your Android smartphone. In other words, you should turn off your Wi-Fi when you leave home and won't be in range of another Wi-Fi network for the day. When you're done using that Bluetooth headset in the car, turn off Bluetooth. Doing so will not only conserve battery life, it'll reduce the risk of malicious parties detecting, or even connecting to, your device without your knowledge.

In addition, you should also disable your Wi-Fi auto connect option--if your device has such an option--to ensure you don't automatically connect to a public Wi-Fi hotspot, through which a Bad Guy could access your device data. Turn off Wi-Fi auto connect by opening up your Android Settings menu, then choosing Wireless & Networks and next, Wi-Fi Settings. If your device has a Wi-Fi auto connect option, you should see it listed here. Uncheck the auto connect box to turn off this functionality.

On the Wireless & Networks settings page, you'll also see a Bluetooth Settings option. Open up your Bluetooth Settings and turn Bluetooth on if it's not already. Then click the Device Name option and change your Android's name to something unique and specific to you. This will reduce confusion in the future, should you attempt to connect your smartphone to another device via Bluetooth.

If your Android device supports mobile hotspot features, you'll want to secure your personal network. First, again open up your Wireless & Networks settings and then scroll down to and select Mobile Hotspot. Next, turn on your Wi-Fi hotspot feature and click the Wi-Fi Hotspot Settings settings menu.

Once the hotspot features are activated, your Wi-Fi Hotspot Settings page should show an option to Configure Wi-Fi Hotspot. Open up this menu, assign a new, unique name to your network, choose WPA2 PSK security from the dropdown menu and then assign a password to your network. Save your changes, and your Wi-Fi hotspot is now secure.

It's a good practice to turn off your Wi-Fi hotspot when not in use, so unauthorized parties cannot employ your network, eating up you monthly data allotment and/or accessing your device information.

Al Sacco

Five Common HDTV Questions, Answered

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:57:00 +0000

Solutions to 5 Common HDTV Questions

From the moment you decide to buy a new HDTV, you face a series of potential pitfalls that can set you back in your quest to choose a television and enjoy it. Problems can crop up throughout the process, whether you're just beginning to determine which television technology better suits your needs or you're dealing with unsatisfactory picture quality once you've set up your new TV in your living room.
Fortunately, many of the issues facing prospective or current HDTV owners are quite easy to address--you just have to do your homework before you break out your credit card. Here are five common HDTV problems, and how you can solve them in a matter of minutes.

Should I Choose LCD or Plasma?

LCD sets are typically thinner and use less energy than their plasma counterparts.If you've made the decision to shop for an HDTV, you're probably wondering whether you should select an LCD set or a plasma model. Admittedly, both technologies are nice and should deliver desirable picture quality. But you want the one that's better for you--and they're not created equal.

Nowadays, the vast majority of HDTVs on store shelves are LCD (liquid crystal display) sets. The technology has been improving dramatically over the years, thanks in part to the introduction of LED backlighting.

With the help of LEDs, current LCD sets tend to be a bit brighter than their predecessors, which use cold cathode fluorescent lamps. Even better, LED-backlit LCDs are usually thinner than traditional LCDs (and plasmas, for that matter), and they consume less power.

However, LED-backlit HDTV sets tend to be more expensive than traditional LCDs. For example, Vizio's top-of-the-line 47-inch LED-backlit 4SV model costs the equivalent of US$1799, while one of its top 47-inch standard LCD models goes for the equivalent of US$950. Other TV manufacturers typically have a similar price gap between LED-backlit and CCFL-backlit sets--and some manufacturers aren't even making CCFL-backlit sets on the high end at all.

Aside from price considerations, LCDs are typically quite thin--good for people who want to mount their set to the wall. And with screen sizes up to 46 inches, they deliver outstanding picture quality.

If you're looking for a larger display, though, you should be aware that LCD picture quality tends to break down on larger screen sizes. In most cases opting for a 50-inch LCD isn't necessarily the best idea unless the set has LED backlighting.

Beyond that, LCDs sometimes offer less-appealing picture quality when viewed at off angles. LCD HDTVs have been improving in this respect over the years, but they still fall short compared with plasmas. If you anticipate watching your set from several different angles, keep that in mind.

LCD cheat sheet
- LED backlighting improves picture quality in most cases
- Better for smaller screen sizes
- Affordable
- Off-angle viewing can be a concern
Plasma sets are cheaper than LCDs and can provide solid picture quality.If you're considering buying a plasma HDTV, don't expect to see any that are smaller than about 42 inches in size. The reason for that is simple: Manufacturing plasma televisions smaller than 42 inches would be too costly for vendors, and they wouldn't be able to keep up with LCD pricing. So plasma makers have successfully kept to the higher end of the market.

As a result, plasma is probably the better way to go if you're looking for a large screen of, say, 50 inches or more. On large screens, fast action looks better on a plasma HDTV. Picture quality is usually superior, as well. Since LED-backlit LCDs (which are trying to encroach on the plasma market) are somewhat expensive, you should find a competitive price from plasma TV makers. Note, too, that plasmas deliver excellent picture quality at all viewing angles.

Plasmas have some drawbacks, however. For one, they're bulky, so putting a plasma set over the fireplace, while possible, may not be as aesthetically pleasing as you might like. And since the majority of companies are making LCDs, finding a suitable plasma set might be a bit more difficult than choosing an appropriate LCD TV.

Plasma cheat sheet:
- Great for large screen sizes, but not small displays
- Competitive pricing against high-end LCDs
- Excellent off-angle viewing
- Tend to be bulky

What Size TV Is Right for Me?

Vizio's 65-inch Theater 3D TV looks great--if you can fit it in your living room.Before you make up your mind about an LCD or plasma, you need to determine the size of the HDTV you want to buy.

To determine the right size for your living room, get a tape measure and figure out how far away you plan to sit from your television once you have it in place. If you have multiple locations for people to sit, you might also take the measurements for all those other spots.

You can find several tools on the Web, including a table on Amazon's site, that show how to translate that distance into the correct screen size. Amazon's table, for example, says that if you're sitting up to 4 feet away from the set, you probably don't want anything bigger than a 32-inch display. If you're sitting around 6 feet away, choose nothing bigger than a 46-inch set. If you're sitting between 8 and 10 feet away, selecting a television that's no larger than 80 inches in size is your best bet.

However, choosing the right HDTV size isn't an exact science, and everyone's viewing preferences are different. Keep Amazon's tool in mind, but go to a local store and stand the same distance away from your desired television as you would be when you're home. Wikipedia has a good entry on the optimum HDTV viewing distance as recommended by several different TV and entertainment organizations.

Should I Use HDMI or Component?

Some HDMI cables cost a lot and some don't, but the picture quality is generally the same for short cable runs.When you want to watch HD material on your TV, typically you need to choose between two different connections: HDMI or component.

HDMI is a single cable that connects from the video source to the television. It allows both video and audio to travel through the cable, making it appealing from a space-saving perspective. Component, on the other hand, uses five cables--three for video and two for audio.

In the vast majority of cases, component is just fine for HD content. If you're watching programming from your cable or satellite provider, or if you have an Apple TV hooked up to your television, component is perfect, since it transmits up to 720p or 1080i video to your HDTV.

However, if you plan on gaming in 1080p or watching Blu-ray films, you have to use an HDMI cable. HDMI supports full 1080p resolution, making it the only suitable option for such high-quality content. It also works with any resolution under 1080p, including 720p, 1080i, and 480p.

So, which one should you choose? As long as you have enough open ports, you should probably opt for an HDMI cable, regardless of whether it's connected to a Blu-ray player or a cable box. With HDMI, you'll save space in the back of your entertainment center, and you'll be sure to get the best picture quality.

Before you head down to pick up an HDMI cable, however, keep one thing in mind: They're all the same. No matter what a salesperson might say to you, find the cheapest HDMI cable in the store and buy that--you won't encounter any issues with picture quality if you choose a cheap HDMI cable over the Rs. 4,000 option sitting next to it.

How Do I Get Channels Without a Cable Box?

The Roku XD set-top box uses your Internet connection to stream video to your HDTV.If you're hoping to watch television without adding a cable or satellite box to the mix, you have some alternatives.

For starters, be sure to buy a television that has a built-in tuner. With such a tuner, the TV can capture and display channels sent over the air. And since many over-the-air channels come in HD, you'll be able to take full advantage of your set's capabilities.

To activate the tuner, simply choose that input on your television. From there, you should see an option to search for over-the-air channels; once you select it, your HDTV will find all the channels within range. In most cases it will find all of your local channels and even some others you might not anticipate. Don't expect to get all of the channels that a cable provider offers through a box, however; the options will be somewhat limited.

If you want to supplement those channels with more viewing choices, consider buying a media player, or a gaming console such as the Sony PlayStation 3. Alternatively, you can connect your PC to your HDTV and use that as your media center.

How Can I Calibrate My TV in 5 Minutes?

You'd be surprised how good your TV can look after a quick 5-minute calibration.You can find a host of hardware and software tools that promise to help you calibrate your HDTV--but since your goal is to save time, the following 5-minute calibration should be all you need.

First, be sure to calibrate your HDTV at the time of day when you're most likely to watch programming or movies. Depending on the time and on how much light is in the room, the picture might not look ideal. If you calibrate the TV in the same conditions as when you're most likely to watch, you'll be far more pleased with the results.

Next, put on a movie or TV show that you're familiar with, and pause the playback on a scene that you know particularly well, so you can ensure that skin tones and colors are accurate as you calibrate.

Browse to your HDTV's video settings and choose either 'movie' or 'film' mode. In most instances that option provides you with the closest-to-optimal setting for your HDTV. If you like the way that setting looks, keep it there and don't make any tweaks. But if you think it needs a little something, start modifying some of the individual picture settings, such as brightness, sharpness, and contrast.

Brightness is perhaps better described as "black level." You'll want to adjust the brightness on your set until something black on your display has a nice, deep, inky look to it.

Sharpness tends to create odd halos around objects that aren't coming from the video source. Since you want to create an accurate picture as quickly as possible, it's generally best to turn sharpness down to zero.

Then, go to the contrast settings (sometimes called "picture") and turn it down so that white objects on the screen look sharp, have detail, and don't appear odd. At this point you might also have to return to the brightness setting to ensure that blacks aren't too dark and you haven't lost some detail along the way.

You may also find a 'color' setting on your HDTV. Since you're not using any calibration aids, it's best for now to leave that alone, since most HDTVs deliver relatively accurate color out of the box. If after this quick adjustment you're not quite happy with what you've found, feel free to go back and adjust the settings until you've set up the right look for your eye.

Don Reisinger

How to Upgrade Your Graphics Card

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:53:00 +0000

Upgrading your graphics card

Choosing the best graphics card for upgrading your aging board is difficult. Ultimately, you want a balanced setup: Too much power, and the graphics processing unit just sits idle in a game, waiting for the CPU to finish whatever it's doing. Too little power, and the CPU waits for the GPU to wrap up its tasks. In either case your game won't look or play as you want it to.

The good news is that both AMD and Nvidia have rolled out their second-generation DirectX 11-compliant graphics cards in the past several months. These revised GPUs offer improved performance, as well as more-robust feature sets. In some instances the new midrange cards (which fall into the ~ Rs. 9000 -to- Rs. 13,500 price range) outperform older graphics boards that were priced at ~ Rs. 23,000 or more only a few years ago.

For the example in this article, I'm upgrading a desktop system running an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 processor. This CPU was one of the faster models available during the previous Intel Core generation, but today it's average at best. That means a good midrange graphics card (~ Rs. 12,000 or less) is the appropriate fit for this PC; anything more expensive is overkill. This computer got an upgrade to Windows 7 at the time of that operating system's original release.

The platform is also a concern. Some of the newer graphics cards, such as AMD's Radeon HD 6900 line, can be quite long, and may not fit in certain PC cases. The chassis for my example desktop is an older Antec Sonata Designer 500, which lacks the internal depth needed for longer cards. Consequently a midrange card becomes a matter of necessity.
The third issue to consider is the power supply. If you're already running a 900W monster, you can upgrade to just about any graphics card you desire. But if you're running a less formidable power supply--a 500W or 600W unit, for example--your graphics options will be more limited. Some high-end graphics cards consume significant amounts of current at startup as well as under load, which can overstress a modest power supply.

However, even within such constraints, your graphics-card choices are numerous. I tend to opt for newer midrange cards, which can offer impressive performance particularly on single monitors running at the now common 1920-by-1080-pixel resolution. At prices closer to ~ Rs. 9000, I would probably go with an ATI Radeon HD 6870. At ~ Rs. 11,200 to Rs. 12,100, I'd likely choose an Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 Ti. Both boards get the job done at 1080p. In the end, it depends on your budget.

In my example PC, I'm upgrading from a GTX 260 card to an Asus-made GTX 560 Ti. By today's standards the GTX 260 is pretty anemic. Asus's GTX 560 Ti DirectCU II, which currently costs around ~ Rs. 11,200 to Rs. 12,100, is much stronger and should substantially improve performance.

Basic Install Toolkit

Battery-powered headlamp
Assorted screwdrivers
Retractable pincers

Upgrading Tips

1. Before you buy a graphics card, make sure that your machine's power supply is up to the task. My example PC has a robust 750W Corsair power supply, which should be sufficient. Check the manufacturer's specs for minimum power requirements before you take the plunge.

2. Ensure that the case has enough room for the new card. Graphics boards have become longer over the years, and the space in older cases may be a little tight. In my example PC, the GTX 560 Ti just barely fits inside the older Antec Sonata Designer 500 case.

3. Download the latest driver for the new graphics card. Don't install it yet.

4. Uninstall the older graphics drivers. Even if you're installing a GPU of the same brand as before, removing the older drivers prior to installing the new card is a good idea.

5. Power down the system.

6. Remove any power connectors from the old graphics card. Also remove the screws that attach the connector bracket to the case.

7. Ensure that no clutter--cables or wiring--surrounds the card. In addition, large CPU heat sinks can interfere with physical card removal or installation, so you may need to remove the heat sink. Be sure to detach the monitor cable from the old graphics card's outside connector, too.

8. Most motherboards have a little latch that locks the graphics card securely into its slot. You may find it necessary to hold this latch down (or aside) while removing the card with your other hand.

9. If the amount of room inside the case is too constricted, you might have to preattach the PCI Express power connectors to the new card.

10. Install the new graphics board, first making sure that no small wires are overhanging the PCI Express slot. If the card seems difficult to push down, check to see whether the connector bracket is sliding in properly.

11. Once the card is firmly in place, replace the connector-bracket screws.

12. Attach the monitor cable. If you've been using a VGA cable, and your monitor has a digital input (DVI, HDMI, or DisplayPort), now is a good opportunity to switch to digital inputs with the right cable.

13. Double-check to confirm that the graphics card's power connectors are in place. Additionally, verify that no small wires or cables will interfere with any of the cooling fans.

14. Power up the PC. If you hear any rattling, it indicates that something is rubbing against the fans; power down and check to make sure that no fans have become blocked.

15. Once the system is powered up and running normally, install the latest drivers for the graphics card. One more reboot, and you're good to go.

Loyd Case

How To Update Your Video Drivers in Windows 7

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:50:00 +0000

Updating your Video driver

For starters, what exactly does a driver do? Windows uses a driver to help the computer communicate with various gadgets, both internal and external, that are attached to it.

You will have to update the video driver when either the Operating System changes, or some new software causes a conflict with your video card driver.

Windows 7 has built-in drivers and will often automatically install a driver when a new device is detected, given that the driver is already in the Windows driver library on the machine. Occasionally, the system might not recognize a new device and so you will be asked to install a driver manually from DVD or from the Internet. To update a driver, you'll need to download its latest version from the video card manufacturer's Web site.

The procedure for updating your graphics card driver is quite easy and it is as follows.
1. Click Start, type 'device manager', then press Enter
2. Expand the tree for 'Display adapters'. You should see an entry that displays the name of the particular graphics card (integrated or discreet).

3. Right-click that entry, then click 'Update Driver Software'.

4. Click 'Search automatically for updated driver software'. Windows then proceeds to locate, download and then install the proper drivers for your video hardware. This software search is conducted via the internet through the Microsoft WHQL library (this is only if 'Windows Update' has been enabled).Â If your driver software is already upto date, then Windows would display the message that the latest driver is already installed.

An alternative could be for you to visit the desktop/notebook manufacturer's website to download the latest driver.

Similarly, once you know the type of graphics card you have, you can visit the video/graphics card manufacturer's website to download the latest driver. It's always advisable to download the driver version for the card that you have, rather than for some other card, otherwise it could make your system inoperable.

Eric Ernest

Upgrade Your Motherboard the Easy Way

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:47:00 +0000

The Switch.

Even accomplished geeks shy away from motherboard upgrades on their main PCs. Years ago, I would often upgrade gaming and test systems in my own basement lab, but keep chugging along with a production machine using a two-year-old motherboard and CPU.
Then I learned how to swap in a new motherboard without having to deal with a clean install. It isn't that difficult, provided you do a little up-front prep. The hard part is not the hardware installation--modern motherboards are easier to set up and install than in years past--it's bringing up an existing Windows installation and all your applications.
In this article I'm going to focus on a single-generation upgrade. Examples might include moving from an Intel Core 2-generation board to a Core i5/i7 board, or from an AMD Athlon 64 X2 AM2 board to a Phenom X4-capable board. Even in this case, you may be looking at additional hardware--particularly memory, if you're moving from DDR2 RAM to DDR3.
Specifically, I won't look at trying to move from very old hardware (say, a motherboard with AGP) to brand-new hardware. If you're planning on moving from ancient gear to current gear, a clean install really is the best way to go.
Here I'll walk you through the process of upgrading the motherboard in an existing PC, including taking care of all the software issues. The goal is to keep and maintain your existing Windows installation even after a motherboard upgrade. I'll focus on the process with Windows 7, but I'll also offer tips and tricks for Windows XP and Windows Vista.
Performing a motherboard upgrade is fairly simple, and consists of three parts: pre-upgrade preparation, the physical swap, and post-upgrade polishing.

Prepping for the Swap

Step 1: Back Up!
One key point to remember: You are putting your data at risk. Even if you're not into regular backups, now is the time to back up your system. I suggest backing up your valuable data onto an external drive first. Then, if possible, make an image backup of your entire hard drive, using a tool such as Acronis True Image ($50) or DriveImage XML (free). You don't have to clone to another hard drive; just put an image file on another drive, even on the external drive that contains the data backup.

Step 2: Collect Software Registration Keys
Take a close look at all the software you're running. Most modern applications require entering a registration key. You may have to reenter those keys, so make sure that you have them on hand, preferably on hard copy. If you have a lot of programs, grab Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder--it will pull all of your registration keys so that you can easily record them.

Step 3: Deactivate or Uninstall Activated Applications
If an application requires activation, it may see a new motherboard as an attempt to copy the software illegally, and it may refuse to run as a result. For example, most Adobe professional apps (Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro, and the suites, CS3 or later) require activation. However, they also have a handy "Deactivate" button in the help menu. If you're running an Adobe suite, you need to deactivate only one app to take care of the whole affair; but if you've installed individual programs, you'll have to deactivate those as well.

Similarly, some games will require deactivation or uninstallation if they've been activated. Whatever the application, if it has gone through an activation process, you need to be prepared to reactivate it when you're installing a new motherboard. This rule of thumb may include Windows itself--I'll talk about how to take care of that in the post-upgrade section.
It's possible to skip the uninstall step for some apps, but doing so may mean that you'll find yourself calling the company for a new activation. I've done this for both Adobe and Microsoft apps without any issues, but it can be time consuming.

Step 4: Update Your Drivers
This step is particularly useful if you're moving from an older Intel chipset to a newer one (or from an older AMD chipset to a more recent generation). The latest Intel chipset drivers, which you can download from Intel's Website, are generally supersets, so the driver for your motherboard will also install drivers and .INF files for newer chipsets. Note that these files aren't actually active in your system, but are enumerated and installed when you bring up Windows for the first time on the new board.
It's also a good time to update your graphics board's drivers and, if you have a discrete sound card, your audio drivers. If you're using the motherboard's integrated audio, you'll obviously be installing those drivers after the upgrade.

Step 5: Check Your Storage Settings
First, check your disk-interface settings. Migrating between chipsets from different companies can be problematic. For example, if you're moving from an nVidia chipset to an Intel one, you'll want to make sure that your PC isn't running proprietary nVidia drivers for IDE. Otherwise, you might experience a blue-screen error on first boot--namely, the dreaded 'STOP 0x0000007' error, indicating that the disk interface is unrecognized.
For this article, I'll be upgrading a relatively standard desktop system with a single boot drive. Similar considerations hold true for RAID setups, however. If you're running RAID 1, you might want to revert to a single-volume setup until you get the system up and running. If you're running RAID 0, it's more complicated if the chipset manufacturers differ; you may have to reimage the volume to a single drive until after the installation. Note that moving from one Intel RAID generation to the next usually works without a hitch.
This is one reason backups are critical: You are changing your primary storage driver.
Note that I'm talking about boot drives here. If you have a RAID 1 or RAID 0 secondary drive, you'll probably be okay--but back up before upgrading anyway. There's always the chance that the new system won't recognize your old RAID volume if you're using the motherboard chipset to handle RAID.
If your machine is booting off an add-in disk-controller board (for instance, a PCI Express SAS or SCSI controller), you might not have a problem with the first boot, but there's no guarantee. You may have to perform a Windows repair (possible with Windows XP or Windows 7, but something you can't really do with Vista).
If you are migrating between similar chipsets (old Intel to new Intel, for example) and are running Intel RAID or AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) mode, update the Intel RAID drivers to the latest version.
Check your BIOS setting to be certain, and make sure your new motherboard's settings are the same before fully booting for the first time. For example, if you're running AHCI in the current arrangement, set your new motherboard to AHCI in the BIOS prior to your first system start.
There are other possibilities as well--and if you have an unusually complex setup, a clean install may be the only way to go.

The Upgrade.

The Upgrade
For this article, I picked a pretty straightforward project. The system to be upgraded had an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 CPU running on an Intel DX48BT2 motherboard, which uses an Intel X48 chipset. Though it was already a fairly fast system, it served my purposes, as it consisted of a last-generation CPU running on top of an older chipset.
I replaced the DX48BT2 with an Intel DX58SO motherboard, plus a Core i7 930 processor (2.8GHz) and 6GB of DDR3 memory from OCZ.
The original system had a few games, Microsoft Office, and Windows 7 Professional 64-bit edition. Office, of course, required activation, as did Windows itself.
To swap in the new gear, find a good work space that's flat, dry, and free of static electricity. If you live in a cold, dry area, running a humidifier in the background may be worthwhile. If possible, ground yourself with an antistatic strap; if you don't have one, be sure to touch bare metal to ensure that you've discharged static electricity before proceeding.
First, remove the old motherboard. You need to be careful when removing the CPU cooler and, in particular, the tiny connectors that run to the status LEDs, as well as the power and reset buttons. In fact, make sure to disconnect all wiring and cables before you start pulling out mounting screws. You'll probably want to remove the old memory and CPU, as well, storing them in appropriate, static-free containers. (Note: Tupperware and similar containers are not a good idea.)
You'll need a number 2 Phillips screwdriver, and possibly some fine needlenose pliers. Once you've disconnected all the wiring, take out the mounting screws and set them aside, and then wiggle the motherboard out carefully. Store the board in an antistatic envelope. Be sure to remove the ATX I/O plate, too.

Motherboard Installation
Before you drop in the new motherboard, check the standoffs that accept the mounting screws. Make sure they're installed--some may have come out when you removed the original board. Also confirm that they're properly aligned vertically.
Unpack the new motherboard, making sure to remove the CPU socket protector before proceeding with CPU installation.
Don't forget to install the ATX I/O back plate, or you'll find yourself removing the motherboard to install it.
Now it's time to prep the new motherboard. Just to make life interesting, on my system I decided to use a high-end CPU cooler, the Thermalright Ultra120. That requires the installation of a mounting plate on the backside of the motherboard.
If you're using a stock Intel cooler, you can skip this step; the Intel cooler uses expansion pushpins to lock down the cooler, so no mounting plate is necessary. Just be certain that the pushpins line up properly before you press down.
The Thermalright mounting plate fits snugly; but don't push too hard, as the motherboard itself has a mounting plate for the LGA1366 socket.
Flip the board over, making sure the cooler mounting plate doesn't fall off. Now gently insert the CPU into the socket, confirming that the notches on the side of the CPU circuit board align with the tabs on the socket.

Attach the heat-sink mounting brackets, screwing down gently--don't screw the brackets too tightly. Then spread a thin layer of thermal paste on the surface of the CPU heat spreader to ensure robust thermal contact with the heat sink.
Prior to installing the cooler, install the DDR3 memory modules into the appropriate sockets. I chose my specific set of DDR3 modules partly because they're relatively low profile,

and don't have extra-tall heat sinks of their own; otherwise, the Thermalright heat sink wouldn't have fit.
The Ultra120 heat sink attaches with two spring-loaded screws. Make sure the center pin on the screw mound nests into the dimple on the upper side of the heat sink.
This image doesn't show the 120mm cooling fan that attaches to the heat sink; that part just slides on with a simple plastic clip.

Making the Connections
After you've installed the motherboard, CPU, memory, and cooler, it's time to attach all of the connectors. Your motherboard documentation will show you the layout for these, so consult that before proceeding. Here are the basics you'll need to connect.

- Primary power
- ATX12V secondary CPU power connector (four-pin or eight-pin; if you have a choice, go with eight-pin)
- Power and reset switches, plus hard-drive and power-activity LEDs
- Fan connectors, including the CPU cooling fan
- USB and front-panel audio (your system may also have a front-panel FireWire connector; my Coolermaster Sileo 500 case lacked that amenity)
- SATA connectors on the motherboard (make sure to do this before you install the graphics board)
- Storage connectors to the hard drives and optical drives

Finally, install the PCI Express graphics card and make sure to attach the PCIe power connectors to the card.
Okay, now it's time to boot the system, right? Well, not quite.

The Aftermath.

Review: Things to Check
Always go back and review what you've done before booting up the PC--I always forget something.

-Is the memory seated properly?
-Is the CPU cooling fan connected to power?
-Are the mounting screws screwed in properly?
-Is the ATX I/O back plate installed?
-Are the power and reset switch connectors attached?
-Are the IDE and power LED connectors attached?
-Is the case-fan power connected?
-Are the storage data and power cables connected?
-Are both the main and ATX12V power cables connected?
-Is the PCI Express power connected to the graphics board?
Now that you've double-checked all the connections, you need to attach the external cabling, namely the power, keyboard, mouse, network, and video cables. Next, you'll power up the system.
Post-Upgrade Follow-Up
Before you attempt to boot into Windows, get into the BIOS setup program by pressing F2 (Intel motherboards) or Del (most other motherboards). You want to check the boot order, particularly if you have more than one hard drive--you need to make sure that the Windows boot drive is the first drive the system sees. Most modern motherboards allow you to specify which SATA drive is the boot drive.
Also check that you have the right storage type specified for your configuration: IDE, AHCI, or RAID. (Note: If you're using a solid-state drive, don't enable AHCI.)
Once you're confident that the correct boot drive is specified, boot up the system.
Assuming you've connected everything properly, you should see the Windows 7 boot screen. You'll then need to wait as Windows enumerates all the new hardware. Since I installed the latest Intel motherboard drivers prior to taking out the old motherboard, this process went smoothly for me.
After all the devices have been enumerated and the drivers updated, you'll need to reboot the PC.
Once you've rebooted a second time, check to see if Windows thinks it needs to be activated. You may get a warning to this effect. You can just bring up the system property sheet (in the System control panel) and look at the bottom. There you'll see an 'activate windows now' query, along with an expiration period. I've encountered grace periods as short as three days in a motherboard upgrade; in other instances, Windows doesn't need reactivation. It seems to be something of a crap shoot, but the majority of the time, you'll need to reactivate the OS.
In my particular case, activating over the Internet worked fine. Bear in mind, however, that you may have to resort to contacting the Microsoft activation hotline via telephone if activation over the Internet is denied. The process takes only a few minutes, and requires entering codes into fields. If the automated system asks you how many computers this copy of Windows is running on, make sure you answer "1".

Cross-Chipset and Cross-CPU Upgrades
If you're moving from AMD to Intel or vice versa, or if the new motherboard uses a chipset from a different manufacturer than the old one, you need to do a little more work.
First, grab your Windows setup disc and your Windows CD key. If you're upgrading a Windows XP installation, boot from the Windows XP CD. Follow the normal instructions for installing Windows XP, but do not reformat or perform a clean install. Instead, follow the prompts for a repair install. What that will do is update the storage driver to one that Windows will recognize when it boots.
This also works with Windows 7, using the 'Repair My System' option. In both cases you'll need to reenter the Windows key.
Windows Vista makes the process more painful: Vista has no repair option, a serious oversight on Microsoft's part. What has sometimes worked is to boot into safe mode, install the new storage drivers (from the motherboard maker's CD or floppy disk), and then proceed with the boot. But if that doesn't work, you may find yourself performing a clean install after all--which is why backing up your system prior to an upgrade is critical.

Final Thoughts
The upgrade path I present in this article is simple and straightforward, but lays down the groundwork you'll need if you have a more-complex setup. I've performed this type of upgrade several times now with Windows 7, and the machines all continue to run trouble-free.
Even if you think you might need to perform a reformat and a clean install, try running your existing Windows installation first. You might be pleasantly surprised at the result.

9 Ways to Secure Your Mobile Devices

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:43:00 +0000

Securing your Mobile Devices

From coffee shops to planes, trains, and cruise ships, we've become accustomed to having ready access to the Internet just about anywhere. The problem is, it's easy to forget how vulnerable that makes us to security threats.
Consider the following threat scenario. Someone can log into your Facebook account via Firesheep, a Firefox extension that can intercept unencrypted cookies from certain Websites on any open Wi-Fi network, making it possible to steal login credentials for sites like Facebook and Twitter, or even access your e-mail.
Think it can't happen to you? Think again. Fortunately, a combination of plain old common sense and some technology can protect your devices--quickly and fairly easily.

How Your Gadgets May Be Vulnerable

Whether you're traveling with a laptop, netbook, smartphone, iPad, or all of the above, the risks and defenses against them are basically the same, according to Joe Nocera, an information security expert and a principal with PricewaterhouseCoopers. "Many of the security concerns that people think about when they think about their personal computers are applicable in the mobile world." As mobile devices become more sophisticated, they lend themselves to the same types of access to e-mail, passwords, and other secure information that PCs have done in the past.
Because today's devices are so much more powerful and can hold so much more information than ever before, the risks are increasing, says Martin Hack, information security expert and executive vice president of NCP Engineering, a software company that helps businesses with their secure remote access systems. Add to that our tendency to carry both personal and business information around with us on the same device, and our mobile devices have never looked so appealing to hackers, he says.
As specific mobile devices become more popular, they become more of a target for hackers. "Five years ago, the vulnerabilities were Microsoft-based and targeting PCs. Apple tended not to be targeted so often," says Nocera. "But, in the last year and a half or so, we're seeing a shift. More and more often we're seeing either Android- or iPhone-based vulnerabilities being targeted. We predict that by 2014 you'll see those types of vulnerabilities being the most targeted as more and more users go to those mobile devices."
The good news is it's not difficult or even expensive to protect your devices and the information on them. The fixes are simple. The problem, stated quite eloquently in an old Pogo comic strip, is: "We have met the enemy and he is us."

10 Tips for Keeping Your Mobile Devices Secure

1. Make sure your software is up-to-date. The first line of defense, says Nocera, is making sure that all your software is up-to-date. "Almost every release of software patches a number of security vulnerabilities that are out there," he says. Before every trip, or at least every few weeks, it's a good idea to check the manufacturer's Web site (or search Google) to see if a software or firmware update is available. If there's a new one, download it, unless there's a massive firestorm of negative reviews from early adopters.

2. Employ strong passwords. "Be sure to use some combination of letters, numbers and/or special characters of 8 characters or more," says Jeremy Miller, director of operations for Kroll Fraud Solutions. "Avoid using dictionary words. Instead, [use] acronyms for things like favorite songs, restaurants or other items known only to you. And change the password frequently--at least once every six months." If you're just not feeling clever enough to create your own passwords, programs likeRoboForm will do it for you.

3. Don't mess with the security settings. Nocera notes that most of the default browser settings in Android, iPhone, and Blackberry phones are fairly secure out of the box. "I recommend not going in to change browser security settings--they're pretty good already," he says.

4. Avoid unencrypted public wireless networks. Such Wi-Fi networks require no authentication or password to log into, so anyone can access them--including the bad guys. In some cases, bad guys set up an open network to snare unsuspecting people. Encrypted networks, on the other hand, are those that require an ID or password for access--you'll find such networks at many hotels and coffee shops that offer Wi-Fi services. These networks have two different types of security--WEP (wired equivalent privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi protected access); the second is most secure. Even encrypted networks, though, have risks--it's possible for bad guys to gain access to encrypted networks at a hotel or cafe, for instance, so be cautious about the sorts of things you do on such networks.
Besides avoiding connecting to unencrypted networks, turn off Wi-Fi when you're not using it. This will prevent you from automatically connecting to networks (and it will extend your device's battery life).

5. Paying to access a Wi-Fi network doesn't mean it's secure. Access fees do not equal security. Just because you pay a fee to access a Wi-Fi network doesn't mean that the network is secure.

6. URLs beginning with 'https:' are safer (but not foolproof). Whenever you're accessing a site where you'll be sharing personal or confidential information--your bank's site, for example--you want to make sure that you're doing so securely. The s in https means that you're connected to the site via the Secure Socket Layer (SSL). In layman's terms, this means that all data transmitted to that particular Website over the Internet is encrypted.
SSL is not foolproof though: If you're on an unencrypted network connection, you may still be subject to man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, a form of eavesdropping where the bad guy makes a connection independently with two parties and then "gets in the middle," making both believe that they are talking directly to each other.
These types of attacks are rare, but to guard against them, make sure you're both connected to a secured network and that Websites use https when you're entering sensitive information.
In addition, says Nocera, most e-mail service providers have both a clear text option (that sends unencrypted data) and an encryption (SSL) option. "Make sure you have the SSL option enabled," he says.

7. Use VPN. If you have access to a VPN (virtual private network), use it. A VPN provides secure access to an organization's network and allows you to get online behind a secure layer that protects your information.

8. Turn off cookies and autofill. If your mobile device automatically enters passwords and login information into Websites you visit frequently, turn that feature off. It's convenient, but it can also be a privacy threat. To get back some of the convenience that autofill offers, you can try third-party apps, available for most platforms, that can manage saved passwords with a higher level of security. Mac OS X, for instance, comes with a built-in password manager--Keychain. KeePass is a free, open-source password manager for some versions of Windows. For iOS and Android smartphones, there'sLastPass, 1Password, and SplashID. Using them is not as secure as turning off autofill altogether, but it's one way to strike a good balance. In the end, a little inconvenience can go a long way toward added security.

9. Watch your apps! Apps are great, and many are free, so it can be tempting to download with abandon. But, Nocera cautions, you should be selective about the apps you download, particularly in the Android market, because "the Android app market is a little bit more open," without the strict developer guidelines found in Apple's App Store. Do some due diligence before downloading apps. Make sure that you trust the developer and have taken the time to review some of comments.
TaintDroid is an Android tool that can identify apps that transmit private data and notify users that a third-party application is requesting private information. However, it's not an app that's offered through the Android Market. Instead, users have to manually compile and build the app using the framework provided by anÂ app analysis company.

If You Still Get Hacked...
If you do everything right and still have your information stolen, what should you do? The damage can often be repaired simply by changing your password (to one much stronger) and sending a message via the network that was affected, explaining what happened. What if one of your devices gets stolen? Be sure that all of your mobile devices have a remote wipe or autowipe feature. For Apple's iPhone and iPad, there's Apple's MobileMe service. GoogleApps offers a solution for Android as well. If your device is lost or you know there's been a breach, you can quickly and remotely perform a factory reset from any computer connected to the Internet, wiping out all of the device's data and even locking it indefinitely.

Logan Kugler

How to Edit LAN Settings

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:39:00 +0000

Editing LAN settings

When you get a new Internet connection, you most probably will be required to change the Network fields in the 'TCP/IP properties' to the preferred values used by the ISP. We will show you how this is done in Windows 7.

Instructions:
1. Open the 'Control Panel' through the Windows Start menu.

2. Click on the 'Network and Internet'.

3. Proceed to the 'Network and Sharing center'.

4. Click on 'change adapter settings'.

5. Right click on the 'properties' of the 'Local Area connection' to review or edit your LAN settings.

6. In the pop up window, select 'Internet Protocol' (generally viewed as 'Internet Protocol version 4 (TCP/IP v4)' and click on the 'Properties' button.

7.The TCP/IP v4 pop up will have all the important network info such as IP address, subnet mask.
Choose the radio button with the option 'Use the following IP address'. Do the same for the 'DNS server option' (generally, once you click on the radio button to manually edit the IP address, the radio button for the DNS server automatically moves to the option for manually editing the DNS server addresses). Proceed to manually enter the preferred IP address, Subnet Mask, Default gateway, and preferred and alternate DNS server's.

Click O.K. The preferred changes would have been incorporated.

Eric Ernest

How to Renew IP Address

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:34:00 +0000

Renewing IP Address in Windows 7

How often is it that, when we have problems accessing a page ('Page Not found error'), we call the customer service folks to only have them tell us the 'steps' for rectifying the problem? The 'help' advice from the service centre usually involves them telling you to disconnect and re-connect your modem. However you might as well save on the call to the service centre by taking matters into your own hands. You can do this by just renewing your IP address.
What exactly is the IP address? It is the unique numerical name which specifies the address of your system when it'Âs connected to the internet/network. For example, an IP address would look something like this 185.161.30.74.

Here are the steps to follow when renewing your IP address.

Instructions:
1. Open the Control panel via the Windows start button.

2. Click on the 'Network and Internet'.

3. Proceed to the 'Network and Sharing center'.

4. Click on "Change Network Adapter Settings," and that will open a Local Area Connection window.

5. Right-click on Local Area Connection and select "disable."

6. Once this is done, a message showing "disabled" will appear under the 'Local Area Connection icon'.

7. Unplug your modem and Wait till all the lights are out. Wait for around 60 seconds, then plug the modem back in. Give the modem at least one minute to fully reset. You will know the modem is reset when the lights are back to the normal state.

8. When the modem is reset, right-click on the LAN icon and select 'enable'. You will see the message 'enabling' under the LAN icon quickly followed by 'initializing'.

Once this is completed, you will be able to access the Internet.

Eric Ernest

6 Registry Hacks to Make Your PC Faster

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:26:00 +0000

Tweak Your System Speed

The Windows Registry is a database that holds your operating system's configurations and settings. This includes everything from how long your mouse must hover over a taskbar icon before the preview pops up (in Windows Vista and Windows 7) to performance settings.
Windows 7 (and Vista) have more eye-candy features built into the operating system, but a number of Registry hacks and tweaks can speed up--or, at least, appear to speed up--the performance of your computer. Before we start mucking around with your PC's guts, however, we're going to make sure that you have a reliable backup of your Registry in case something goes sour.

Though editing the Windows Registry is not nearly as scary as it sounds, making an incorrect change can cripple your system. To ensure that this doesn't happen, it's important to take the precaution of backing up part, or all, of the Registry before you proceed.
Back Up the Entire Registry
To back up your Registry, you can use the free Registry-specific backup tool ERUNT (Emergency Recovery Utility NT). ERUNT is simple to use, more reliable than System Restore, and works with Windows XP, Vista, and 7 (even 64-bit versions). ERUNT also saves each restore point independently of the other points, unlike System Restore (in System Restore, all restore points are dependent on other points).
Back Up Part of the Registry
If you're changing just one part of the Windows Registry, and you know which part that is, you don't have to back up the entire Registry. Instead, you can back up the part you plan on changing using the Registry's export feature.
First, go to Start, Run, type regedit, and press Yes. This will open the Registry Editor.
Next, find the part of the Registry you're going to change. Right-click on the Registry key you plan on changing, and click "Export." The Registry Editor will prompt you to save a .reg file to your hard drive.
To undo Registry changes, just find your .reg file and double-click it. The .reg file will reset your Registry values to their existing values (but will not remove values that you've added).
Hack Your Registry
Now that you've backed up your Registry--perhaps more than once--it's time to start hacking away. To get to the Windows Registry, go to Start > Run (in Windows Vista/7 you will have to type run into the Start menu search bar and press Enter). Type regedit, click Yes, and the Registry Editor will open.
Hack 1: Speed Up Aero Peek
Windows 7's Aero Peek lets you see the desktop when you move your mouse cursor over to the "show desktop" button at the end of the taskbar. The standard delay time for the Aero Peek preview is 500 milliseconds, or half a second. Here's how to speed it up:
1. Open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Advanced.

2. Right-click on the right pane and click New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new DWORD "DesktopLivePreviewHoverTime."

3. Double-click on DesktopLivePreviewHoverTime to open it. Under "Base," click Decimal and then enter the delay time (in milliseconds) in the "Value data" field. Click OK, and your Aero Peek time will be set. You can set the value to higher (a longer delay time) if you're activating it too often by accident, or to lower (a shorter delay time) if half a second is just too long.

4. Log off and log back on for the change to take effect.

Hack 2: Speed Up Taskbar Previews
When you roll over taskbar icons in Windows Vista and in Windows 7, little previews appear. The standard delay time for these previews is 400 milliseconds, or just under half a second. If this is too slow (or too fast) for you, you can adjust the delay time with an easy Registry hack.
1. Open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Advanced.

2. Right-click on the right pane and click New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name the new DWORD "ExtendedUIHoverTime."

3. Double-click on ExtendedUIHoverTime to open it. Under "Base," click Decimal and then enter in the delay time (in milliseconds) in the "Value data" field. Click OK to set the time (default is 400 milliseconds).

4. Log off and then log back in for the change to take effect.

Hack 3: Speed Up Menus

If you'd like to speed up the menus in Windows Vista or Windows 7, try this easy Registry tweak:

1. Open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Control Panel > Desktop.

2. Find MenuShowDelay and double-click to open. Adjust the value in milliseconds (the default is 400 milliseconds, or just under half a second).

3. Log off and then log back on for the change to take effect.

Hack 4: Prevent Reboots
If you have a habit of leaving your computer on all the time (as do I), you'll occasionally run into the problem of automatic system reboots. These usually happen after Windows downloads some sort of important update, and will usually be preceded by a notification (that gives you about 10 to 15 minutes warning, unless you click it away). If you're not around to see said notification, and you have a lot of windows or important documents open on your computer, these reboots can be a hassle.
So here's how to keep your computer from automatically rebooting with an easy Registry hack. This hack works for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

1. Open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft > Windows.

2. Right-click in the right pane and select New > Key. This will create a new folder. Name the new folder "WindowsUpdate."

3. Open WindowsUpdate and right-click in the right pane (there will be a value already in the pane called "Default"). Select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name this DWORD "NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers."

4. Open NoAutoRebootWithLoggedOnUsers and change the Value data to 1. Do not change the Base button to "Decimal"; instead, keep it at "Hexadecimal." Click OK.

5. Exit the Registry Editor and log off and log back in for the settings to take effect. Your system will now
never force a reboot without your explicit permission.

Hack 5: Disable Notification Balloons
If you hate pop-up notification balloons on your Windows Vista or Windows 7 taskbar, you can disable them using a simple Registry hack:

1. Open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Advanced.

2. Right-click on the right pane and select New > DWORD (32-bit) Value. Name your new DWORD "EnableBalloonTips."

3. Double-click on EnableBalloonTips and set the Value data to 0. It doesn't matter if you have Decimal or Hexadecimal clicked under "Base," because 0 is 0 in both decimal and hexadecimal.

4. Log off and log back on for the change to take effect. You'll no longer see any annoying notification balloons from the taskbar.

Hack 6: Boot XP Faster
Is Windows XP booting too slowly? Here's how to speed up your boot-time with a quick Registry tweak.

1. Open the Registry Editor and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet >
Control > ContentIndex.

2. In the right pane will be a value called "StartupDelay." Double-click on StartupDelay to open it. Change the "Base" from Hexadecimal to Decimal, and enter 40,000 (the default setting is 480,000).

3. Exit the Registry Editor and restart your computer. Your computer should boot up considerably faster--while this worked for me on my Windows XP laptop, values lower than 40,000 didn't produce a noticeable difference.

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal

Previewing Your Gmail Messages

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:22:00 +0000

For the past couple weeks I've been stuck using my Web browser to access my Gmail accounts, rather than my preferred method: Outlook. (It's all because of the computer meltdown I mentioned in a few earlier posts.) It gets the job done, but there's one thing about it that drives me nuts: no preview pane. If I want to read an e-mail, I have to click it, then click again to go back to my inbox and find the next message I want to read. Wash, rinse, repeat. Come on, Google, it's 2011! How is it possible that there's no preview-pane option for Gmail?
(In case you're not familiar with the terminology, what I mean is dividing the inbox into two sections: one that shows the inbox, and one that displays the contents of whatever e-mail I click. No jumping back and forth between two full-screen options. It's how pretty much every other e-mail client on the planet works.)
If this bugs you as much as it does me, you'll be glad to know there's a stop-gap solution: Message Sneak Peek. By enabling this feature, which is one of the "experimental" ones found in Google Labs, you can read the contents of an e-mail without having to leave your inbox. Simply right-click the message and presto: a preview window appears. And it's even functional: You can archive, delete, or mark-as-read the selected message.
Sound good? To enable this, head to Gmail in your browser, click the little gear icon in the upper right corner, and then click Mail settings.

Click the Labs link, then scroll down until you find Message Sneak Peek.

Click Enable, then scroll to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes.

Now head back to your inbox and right-click any message to see the preview. Neat, huh?

Extend Your Smartphone's Battery Life

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:17:00 +0000

10 Ways to Boost Your Smartphone's Battery Life

For all of their power and versatility, smartphones--even the best of them--are cursed with abysmal battery life. Unless you use your phone very sparingly (and who does that?), you're lucky to make it home at the end of the day with enough juice left in the battery for one more call. But with the right apps and a little insight, you can double your smartphone's battery life--and work (and play) longer than ever before.
Though some phones live a little longer than others on a single charge, all smartphones suffer from the same basic problem: They do too much. Any 3.7-volt battery small enough to fit into your phone's tiny chassis stands no chance of lasting multiple days under a steady workload of running apps, browsing the Web, sending e-mail, and doing whatever else phones are expected to do. (Oh yeah, making calls.)

Most smartphone batteries today are rated at around 5 watt-hours, meaning that they can deliver a constant charge of 1 watt to the device over a period of 5 hours. If your phone actually uses 1 watt per hour, and you pull it off the charger at 7:00 a.m., you can expect it to be dead by lunchtime. So the key to increasing your phone's battery life is to reduce the amount of power the handset uses per hour.
One obvious way to reduce your phone's energy draw is to use it less (yeah, right). A more practical approach is to manage the phone's power consumption by turning off unneeded features and turning down adjustable features. Turning off your phone's radios when you're not using them, reducing the screen's brightness, and killing apps that run in the background are among the tricks that can help your phone's battery last longer. They and other tricks and apps will help extend your phone's overall workday by reducing its moment-to-moment energy requirements.
1. Dim the Screen
You love your smartphone's large, colorful display, but it's the battery's mortal enemy. More than any other component of your phone, the display consumes battery life at a devastating pace. Most phones include an auto-brightness feature that automatically adjusts the screen's brightness to suit ambient lighting levels and system activity. This mode uses less power than constantly running your screen at full brightness would, of course, but you'll get even better results by turning your screen's brightness down to the lowest setting that you can tolerate and leaving it there. Even if you do nothing else suggested in this guide, following this one tip will extend the life of your battery dramatically.
2. Keep the Screen Timeout Short
Under your phone's display settings menu, you should find an option labeled 'Screen Timeout' or something similar. This setting controls how long your phone's screen stays lit after receiving input, such as a tap. Every second counts here, so set your timeout to the shortest available time. On most Android phones, the minimum is 15 seconds. If your screen timeout is currently set to 2 minutes, consider reducing that figure to 30 seconds or less.
3. Turn Off Bluetooth
No matter now much you love using Bluetooth in the car or with your hands-free headset, the extra radio is constantly listening for signals from the outside world. When you aren't in your car, or when you aren't expecting a call that you'll want to take via a headset, turn off the Bluetooth radio. (Besides, walking around with a Bluetooth headset in your ear when you're not actually on a call doesn't do anything positive for your street cred anyway.) By turning off Bluetooth when you're not using it, you can add an hour or more to your phone's battery life.
4. Turn Off Wi-Fi When Not In Use
As with Bluetooth, your phone's Wi-Fi radio is a serious battery drainer. While you almost certainly should prefer the improved speed of your home or office Wi-Fi connection to your mobile carrier's wireless broadband for data services, there's no point in leaving the Wi-Fi radio on when you're out and about. Toggle it off when you go out the door, and turn it back on only when you plan to use data services within range of your Wi-Fi network. Android users can add the Wi-Fi toggle widget to their home screen to make this a one-tap process.
5. Go Easy on the GPS
Another big battery sucker is your phone's GPS unit, which is a little radio that sends and receives signals to and from satellites to triangulate your phone's location on the Earth's surface. Various apps access your phone's GPS to provide services ranging from finding nearby restaurants to checking you in on social networks. As a user, you can revoke these apps' access to your phone's GPS. When you install them, many apps will ask you for permission to use your location. When in doubt, say no. (And if a game, screensaver, or wallpaper app asks for your location, you should be suspicious about why it wants that data in the first place.)
6. Kill Extraneous Apps
Multitasking--the ability to run more than one app at a time--is a powerful smartphone feature. It also burns a lot of energy, because every app you run uses a share of your phone's processor cycles. By killing apps that you aren't actually using, you can drastically reduce your CPU's workload and cut down on its power consumption. For Android phones--which are notorious battery hogs due to their wide-open multitasking capabilities--we like an app called Advanced Task Killer, which has an auto-kill feature that polices your apps throughout the day. In iOS, double-tap the Home button until the multitasking tray appears, hold an icon until an X appears, and tap the X to close the app.
7. Don't Use Vibrate
Prefer to have your phone alert you to incoming calls by vibrating rather than playing a ringtone? We understand the inclination; unfortunately, vibrating uses much more power than playing a ringtone does. After all, a ringtone only has to make a tiny membrane in your phone's speaker vibrate enough to produce sound. In contrast, the vibration motor swings a small weight around to make your whole phone shake--and that process takes a lot more juice. If you don't want to be disturbed audibly, consider turning off all notifications and leave the phone in view so you can see when a new call is coming in. This approach is as courteous to your battery as it is to your friends and neighbors.
8. Turn Off Nonessential Notifications
It seems as though almost every app in the app store now polls the Internet in search of updates, news, messages, and other information. When it finds something, the app may chime, light up your screen and display a message, make your LED blink, or do all of the above. And all of these things consume energy. Admittedly you likely don't want to turn off notifications about new text messages or missed calls, but you don't need to be instantly alerted that radboy84 has just bested your score at Booty Blast. Turning off superfluous notifications will help your battery last a little longer, and it will eliminate pointless distractions throughout your day.
9. Power Saver Mode for Android
Newer Android phones include a Power Saver mode that helps manage the phone's various power-sapping features for you. Power Saver mode automatically prevents your apps from updating in the background, dims your screen, reduces the screen timeout setting, disables on-screen animations, and turns off vibration. By default, this mode usually turns on when your battery level drops to 20 percent, but you can set it to kick in at 30 percent instead. And the sooner the phone switches to Power Saver mode, the longer its battery will last.
10. JuiceDefender for Android
By manually adjusting all of your phone's settings over the course of a day, you may be able to squeeze a few extra usable hours out of your battery. But if the effort sounds too cumbersome to you, consider downloading an app that manages your battery for you. On Android phones, we've seen great results from JuiceDefender, which automatically toggles your radios on and off and manages your phone's CPU usage to optimize your battery life moment-to-moment.

Robert Strohmeyer

How To Use Twitter Like A Pro

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:14:00 +0000

Eight Tips To Use Twitter Like A Pro

Is your business on Twitter? It should be. The microblogging site has tweeted its way, 140 characters at a time, to the top of the social media ladder. With more than 200 million members sending out an estimated 65 million tweets per day, your business should be engaged.

But hold on. If you haven't learned yet from using Facebook or other social networks, establishing relationships with customers via such platforms is not the same as just marketing to them. You need to understand both the unique aspects of Twitter and how to use it effectively to communicate with your customers in order to be successful.

Here are eight tips to get you started in the right direction.

1. Build a Following
No matter how valuable your Twitter communications are, they have little purpose without readers. Your tweets are publicly searchable by all who look for specific topics, but you need to build a following of users who actively subscribe to your content. Your Twitter followers represent your community, and are the audience you are really engaging with.

If you're Ashton Kutcher, Charlie Sheen, or Lady Gaga, just show up, and millions will follow you instantly. If you are not a megastar, though--and most of us aren't--you will have to put a little more effort into it. Start by inviting any existing customer communities you might have.

TweetDeck is a powerful tool for Twitter that helps you organize and schedule tweets.

Does your company have a Website, blog, customer e-mail distribution list, or a product newsletter? Use all means at your disposal. If your customers have a Twitter account, invite them to follow you. You should also include the Twitter icon with a link to your Twitter account in your e-mail signature, marketing collateral, or anything else that might get exposure. You can even provide incentives for anyone who follows you, such as the chance to win a free product or service, or a discount.

Part of the culture of Twitter is that users generally follow back those who follow them. Click on Twitter's own "Who to Follow" link for suggestions. A tool like Tweet Adder software can provide even more detail. Use it to search for Twitter users who already follow similar companies, or who express an interest in your topic or industry, and then automatically follow those users. Some portion of them are likely to follow your Twitter account. First, of course, make your Twitter page attractive with a compelling profile image, background, and "About" description.

2. Know the Rules of Engagement
If you're a newbie, get to know the basic Twitter best practices, such as direct messaging, "@" replies, and "retweeting." You can send a private message directly to someone who follows you by typing the letter "d" in front of their username in a tweet. In your public tweets, use "@" replies to comment on any other user's tweets; just include the "@" symbol before their username in your message. If you want to repeat what someone else tweeted, choose "Retweet" and include the letters "RT" in the beginning of your note. You can even ask politely in a tweet for others to retweet you.

These practices draw attention to fellow users, who in turn can see that you're noticing them. To use them well, add your own insight in a retweet rather than simply repeating what someone else said. And check when others call out your tweets, so you can keep the conversation flowing. Once you have the hang of the basics, tools such as GroupTweet enable you to communicate with groups of users, even privately.

3. Provide Value
One of the biggest mistakes companies make with Twitter--and social media in general--is trying to use it for old-fashioned marketing. The sound bite or slogan that you plaster on a highway billboard or in a magazine ad may come across as false on Twitter.

Tweets should include original thoughts and build a conversation that engages other users by using tactics such as "retweeting."

Twitter can be an effective marketing tool, but social media is about engaging in conversation and providing value. You market by who you are, not by what you say. You can certainly use Twitter as a medium for announcing new products or features, but your tweets have to provide more value to keep your audience interested. Share relevant news about your industry in general, as well as helpful tips and advice, and some general conversation to give your followers a reason to stay engaged and participate in the discussion. Make your tweets entertaining and witty, and say something unique. Position yourself as an expert in your field and offer free advice. It's better to extend your personality and opinion than merely to parrot headlines from news stories.

4. Keep It a Tight Fit
Make sure that you're not spending most of your 140-character allowance on a long Web address. URL-shortening services like Bit.ly or TinyURL can abbreviate such lengthy strings. Bit.ly provides additional value by gathering valuable metrics you can use to monitor the success of your Twitter efforts. You can examine how many clicks your shortened links get, and where in the world your URL is getting the most action--information you can use to figure out what works best.

5. Enrich Tweets With Third-Party Tools
A seemingly countless number of third-party tools and plug-ins can extend the value of Twitter. While Twitter was founded on the concept of essentially providing public SMS text messages via the Internet, you can extend its capabilities beyond the standard 140 text characters. Start by using TwitPic or Yfrog to send photos or video clips out via Twitter. Enable these services to work on your smartphone so that you can show, not tell, about the funny thing you saw on the street.

You can make tweets more interactive by connecting them with polls, using a service like Twtpoll, or with chat rooms, using Nurph. Your followers will find more value in paying attention to your tweets if they find interesting conversations to participate in. And integrating Twitter with location-based services such as Foursquare can call attention, for instance, to that conference you're speaking at in Atlanta, and maybe someone nearby in your field will notice.

Tweetdeck--which was recently acquired by Twitter--lets you view and manage multiple Twitter accounts, as well as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Google Buzz, and Foursquare accounts. You can create lists and filter content to cut through the noise, and use Tweetdeck to post updates to the various connected networks. Columns in Tweetdeck let you monitor specific keywords or hash tags. You can also set up a column in Tweetdeck to monitor when other Twitter accounts mention your company, providing you with an opportunity to recognize loyal customers, identify possible public-relations issues, and put out fires quickly.

Klout attempts to give your influence a numeric score. Hey, we can't all be Lady Gaga.

Tweetdeck lets you schedule tweets to post in advance, but Flowtown's Timely goes a step further. It analyzes your past tweets to estimate what time of day favored them the most. Then, it autoschedules your future tweets accordingly.

6. Hash It Out
You can use hash tags (the # symbol followed by a keyword) to make your Tweets easier to search for. Tools including Tweetdeck and Hashtags.org let you see the latest tweets for any hash tag. One common Twitter hash tag is #FollowFriday or #FF, which you can include on Fridays along with the names of Twitter accounts you find valuable. It is a great word-of-mouth means of attracting new followers. If you are mentioned via FollowFriday, reply back to say thank you. That sort of personal touch is one of the things fellow users appreciate.

One way to attract attention is to tweet about a topic while it's popular. Set up a Google Alert to track the topics in your field, and when it sends a hot story to your e-mail inbox, tweet about it. If your company fixes old PCS, and a report about electronics waste is making headlines, you could include the hashtag #ewaste in a tweet explaining how your work keeps tech out of landfills. Even if you're not commenting on one of the top news stories of the day, you can tie your tweets to upcoming events in your area. For example, if your business bakes seasonal organic pies, you could include hash tags like #localfood and #farmersmarket to announce that you'll be at next Sunday's farmers market. NearbyTweets lets you view who's talking about nearly any topic in a specific part of the world, such as real estate in Chicago.

7. Avoid Pitfalls
We already talked about not using Twitter as a bullhorn for spamming followers with marketing sound bites. But watch out for other pitfalls. For one thing, remember that many "followers" aren't actually paying attention. While the tactic of following like-minded Twitter accounts in the hope of soliciting a reciprocal follow has merit, it only goes so far. Many of the users who follow back are just using that same tactic to pump up their own following, and aren't really interested in your tweets or your business.

Check out Klout or PeerIndex to get an idea of how many of your followers are actively engaged. These services assign a score from 1 to 100 to measure your online influence. At some point, you have to draw the line and stop using the strategy of following others just so they will follow you back. Let your Twitter account speak for itself, and let word of mouth build quality followers that matter.

8. Don't Expect Miracles
Need I remind you that you are not Lady Gaga? You won't instantly have millions of followers. There won't be a miraculous spike in sales or profit for your company just because you set up a Twitter account. As with anything worth doing, there is no magic shortcut.

If you do it right, Twitter can be a powerful marketing tool--a subtle instrument for building brand recognition and customer loyalty. Be patient. Provide value. Build a community, and let the content and success of that community be the force that drives your success--both on Twitter, and as a business.

Tony Bradley N Elsa Wenzel

Why Is My PC Slow?

noreply@blogger.com (ANGEL) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:07:00 +0000

Does your system seem sluggish?

Had we a nickel for every time a friend, loved one, or random stranger asked us, "What's slowing down my PC?" we could shutter PCWorld and retire to live comfortably on a small, secluded island. But since no such deluge of small coins seems likely, we'll instead outline some methods you can use to troubleshoot unexpected slowness on your PC, free of charge.
Of course, systems differ, software differs, and your specific system's history is unique, so we aren't in a position to pinpoint the source of your problem. Nevertheless, we can give you some generally helpful hints that you can use to dig out of the mess.
Know Your Hardware

It's important to know what hardware your desktop or laptop PC contains. Don't run for a screwdriver or some third-party program (though CPU-Z is pretty handy for the nitty-gritty details) to figure this out: If you built your PC, you should know what's in it. If you bought it, look up the manufacturer specs online. Easy enough, right?
Familiarity with your PC's components helps you troubleshoot speed issues in two major ways. First, it gives you a chance to recognize by sight or sound when something isn't right. Is your computer emitting a strange noise? Maybe it's a struggling fan, or the "click of death" from a hard drive approaching extinction. Do you hearing a random sound from your speakers whenever you try to perform a specific task within Windows? Does your optical drive make a different sound than your used to hearing when it spins its disc? Keen listening skills can't give you answers right off the bat, but they can help you notice that a problem may be afoot.
Second, understanding your hardware will allow you to target issues that you can look up within Windows itself. For example, suppose that you pull up the Task Manager (press Ctrl-Alt-Delete, and select Task Manager) and discover that your system has only has 2GB of physical RAM listed in the Performance tab. But you also know from checking the specs that your system shipped with 4GB of RAM. Conclusion: Perhaps your sudden slowdown is the result of a bad stick of memory. You can apply similar reasoning to an underclocked CPU, to missing capacity (or drives) within a storage array, and even to the absence of specific components that you'd expect to see on your system (Lost your optical drive? Maybe your motherboard is on its last legs, and its demise is affecting your overall performance in some way.)
Stay on Top of Updates
If could choose between a free 1998 model car or a free 2011 edition of the same vehicle, which would you pick? The newer one, obviously--but for some reason many people don't employ the same logic when it comes to their PC's operating system, software, and hardware.

There are three major kinds of updates you can apply to your PC. Software updates are newer versions of the applications currently installed on your computer; some companies notify you of their availability via tiny icons in your taskbar or via pop-up windows within the application itself. Driver updates are the specific pieces of software that allow Windows to communicate with one of your system's hardware devices. Firmware updates relate to application-level software programs stored on a device's memory--the "brains" of your camera or wireless router, for example.
Why are these important? Because the updates that affect your software and hardware could influence your system's performance on various tasks. Remember the slow file transfers that plagued the release version of Windows Vista? Microsoft corrected them with its huge Service Pack 1 update for the OS. Another example: More than 15 driver updates have been released for the Radeon HD 5870 graphics board since its official launch in September 2009; and depending on the game being played, these can boost your system's frame rates by 2 to 38 percent.
Before you start worrying about exotic methods of bringing a sluggish computer up to speed, make sure that your system's hardware and software have the latest available updates. When you fire up the latest versions of each, you may find that the problem vanishes.
Speed Up With the Scientific Method

If you've noticed a sudden slowdown when using a particular application or when performing some specific PC process, review what you've done since the last time the program performed perfectly.
If your Web browser's ability to render pages has slowed to a crawl, for example, pay attention to how many tabs you have open and what those tabs contain. Have you installed any add-ons to your browser lately? Did your computer crash during a recent Internet surfing sessions (suggesting that it may be time for you to fully uninstall/reinstall your browser)?
If you want to multitask or play games, but your system is delivering significantly worse speeds than you're accustomed to seeing, look for causes methodically. Is an application (or errant program) running in the background and eating up your system resources? Pull up Windows' task manager and check your available memory and CPU usage. Are you background-downloading a huge file on Steam or uTorrent that's sapping your bandwidth and making your online gaming stuttery? Have you not booted up your system for some time, and is it automatically running various virus scans, file backups, Windows updates, and who knows what else? Check, check, check!
And don't forget Occam's razor: When multiple explanations are possible, the simplest one is the most likely to be correct. In this case of system slowdowns, the likeliest culprit is you. What have you done that might make your system act sluggish? And short of a full system reinstall (or Windows System Restore), what can you do to reverse your most recent actions?
Let Windows Help You
Before you run out and plunk down your hard-earned cash for software apps that promise to speed up your system (FYI: they don't), consider using the free diagnostics tools within Windows Vista or Windows 7.

First, consult the 'Performance Information and Tools' section in the Control Panel. Within it, you'll find an Advanced link that links to all of the operating system's flashier performance-related utilities. To compare the Windows-dictated speed of your system in its original, brand-new incarnation with Windows' assessment of your system's performance now, rerun the Windows Experience Index.
Windows' built-in Event Viewer takes you behind the OS curtain to see what Windows has recorded as a warning, error, or critical issue. These records can be difficult or impossible to decipher, depending on the problem at hand, but they may be able to help you troubleshoot the situation or at least tell a better-informed advisor what your issues might be.

The Performance Monitor is a real-time method for looking at how your PC is using its hardware and system resources. Though it's more descriptive than diagnostic, it might point you in the right direction to identify your system's performance bottleneck.T o cut to the chase, fire up Windows' official System Health Report. The OS will scan your activity for 60 seconds and then offer you suggestions for maximizing your system's capabilities.
The ideal quick-fix supertool would scan your system, eliminate the junk that's that's bogging it down, and give you a fresh and speedy computing environment that would last for months to come. Technically, that operation exists; it's called a wipe and reinstall of your Windows OS. Short of this drastic measure, however, there's no one-size-fits-all solution for transforming a sluggish system into a speedy one. The underlying problem could be a hardware issue, a lack-of-hardware issue, a software issue, an operating system issue, or a random unknown issue.
But by following the tips and suggestions in this article, you'll have some tricks and tools to use in tackling a system that's running slow. You may not have the ideal fix for every situation, but at least you'll know how and where to look for one.

David Murphy