10 Cool Things to Do with a Laptop
Some of us take our laptop computers with us everywhere: to work, to school, to the local coffee shop, and even on vacation. With computing power available to us at all times, it's tempting to work even when we should be enjoying the beach or taking a well-deserved break at home. Go to article/video >
Choosing Good Passwords
When it comes to your computer, choosing good passwords are the keys to the kingdom—you don't want them falling into the wrong hands. Follow these tips for creating and safeguarding effective passwords, and you'll keep the bad guys guessing. What makes a password obvious to hackers? Often you create a password on the spot, when you may be in a hurry. Go to article/video >
Choosing Software for Common Tasks
Choosing the right software for common tasks can be hard with so many applications to choose from. And chances are pretty good these days that if you buy a computer, you'll pay more for the software on it than for the computer itself. Many common software packages cost more than $500, and it may not be clear whether these expensive purchases are necessary. Go to article/video >
Freeware Programs
If you've bought a computer recently, you may have spent more for the software than you did for the computer itself. That's because for a number of years, the price of computer hardware has been decreasing, while the cost of software has been increasing. One way to save money on some of the popular software packages is to consider free alternatives. Go to article/video >
Getting Rid of Spyware
Most of us don't have to worry about encountering 007-style super-spies or shifty-eyed characters in trench coats, but we all need to know about their cyber-versions-spyware. Spyware lurks around every corner of the Web, waiting for a chance to infect your computer. Knowing what to look out for is your best counterattack, and we'll show you how. I've heard of spyware, but what is... Go to article/video >
Google Tools
A Swiss Army* knife is a wonderful tool. When everything is folded away, it looks neat and simple, but when you inspect it closely you might find a magnifying glass, a USB memory card, a laser pointer, a flashlight, or a cigar cutter (I kid you not, visit www.victorinox.ch and see for yourself). Google* is a lot like a Swiss Army knife. Go to article/video >
How to Set Up Instant Messaging
Sure, e-mail is a great way to connect with friends and family. It's free, quick, and best of all it's easy. However, much like sending a letter through the mail, with e-mail you usually have to wait awhile for a response, check your spelling and hit send. What if you could chat with someone, much like you do on the phone, and get a response back in an instant? Go to article/video >
Share Files Between Computers
Share and share alike, we always say. And when it comes to your home network, we're sure you'll agree that being able to share files—documents, pictures, music, and whatever else you store on your computers—between all of the computers in your house is a handy idea. Go to article/video >
Share Large Files Online
When you want to share a digital video or other large file with your friends and family, I recommend using MediaFire*, which lets you store and share files of up to 100 megabytes. That's enough capacity for a short home video or a vacation picture slideshow. Go to article/video >
What is Twitter?
You might have heard about a Web site called Twitter. You might have even visited it but scratched your head, asking, what is this? That's a good question because even though Twitter itself is simple, it's not immediately apparent what it's good for. Simply put, Twitter is a way for you to let other people know what you are doing. Go to article/video >
