Securely Using Public Computers I have written several articles in the past about ways you can protect your computer, but what if you're not using your own computer? What if you're using a public computer instead (at a library or hotel, for example?) Those computers may not be as secure as your home system and you need to take the proper steps to ensure your personal data stays safe. Here are five tips you can follow for securely using a public computer! 1.) Don't Do Online Banking I know this seems like a no brainer, but people do it. If you're using a public computer and you log in to your online banking Web site, you're putting yourself at great risk. There is no way to tell if there's spyware or adware on the computer you're using that could steal your data. That's why it's never a good idea to do any of your banking on a public computer. 2.) Don't Save Anything Would you bring a stack of tax documents to a hotel lobby and leave them there? Probably not! The same goes for saving any of your personal documents on a public computer. This one applies to files, passwords, music, pictures, downloads, etc. It's just not a good idea to do anything like that on a public computer. 3.) Don't Buy Anything This tip is similar to the first one. Buying something on a public computer usually involves some sort of financial information, which is simply a bad idea! 4.) Delete Internet Explorer Temporary Files This is a simple step that will help a lot! After you're finished using a public computer, make sure you delete the Internet Explorer temp files. To do that, go to Tools, Internet Options and click on the Deletebutton. Then just click Delete All. That way, no one else will know what you did on the computer. 5.) Restart the Computer This is another simple step that will do a lot of good. Restarting the computer after you're done using it will delete a lot of the temporary files and it will clear out the memory of the computer. People waiting behind you to use the computer might not like the hold up, but when it comes to your safety, it's a very important step. Until next time, stay safe out there, my friends! ~ Gary Did this tip help make you feel secure? Tell us how you feel by rating it here:
http://www.worldstart.com/
Back by popular demand! Another reader asks: I see that in a lot of your e-mail tips, you mention a Spelling tab in Outlook Express. I don't have that tab on mine and the spelling icon is sometimes grayed out when I'm typing an e-mail. Why is that and how can I get the spellchecker to work? Please help me! I'm very glad you asked this question, because I know for a fact you're not the only one this is happening to. I get several e-mails about this topic, so it was only a matter of time before I addressed it. If you use Outlook Express and you can't seem to find the option to use the spellchecker for your e-mails, keep reading to find out how you can turn that all around! Fortunately, there are a few things you can check to find out why the spellchecker isn't working. That leaves several options for you as you go about troubleshooting this issue. The causes are explained in detail below. Try one option and if it doesn't sound like your scenario, check out the next one. Hopefully, by the time you're done reading this tip, you'll have your spellchecker problem all fixed up! 1.) The first thing you'll probably want to look into is the version of Outlook Express you have on your computer. If you have any version older than OE 6, there is not a spellcheck option. If you have OE 5, 5.01, 5.5 or anything even older than that, Outlook Express cannot check the spelling for you. You will probably get a message saying something like "An error occurred while the spelling was being checked." To see which version you have, open OE, go to the Help menu and choose About Microsoft Outlook Express. A box will come up on your screen and your version will be right there in big letters. 2.) The next cause isn't very well known, I don't believe. I think a lot of people assume that a spellchecker will come with a new version of Outlook Express, but that's not always the case. There always has to be something else there to make the feature work. In order to have OE spell check your e-mails, you have to have another word processing program installed on your computer that OE is compatible with. For example, if you have a version of Microsoft Word or another familiar word processor, the spellchecker will work in Outlook Express. Another program that works with OE is Microsoft Works, but versions 4 through 6 are the only ones that will. Anything older or newer than that is not compatible with the OE spellchecker. So, if you don't have any type of word processing unit on your computer, you may want to get one if the e-mail spellchecker is that important to you. 3.) The Outlook Express spellchecker will close down if you have the programs of Microsoft Visual Basic 6 or Microsoft Access 97 running on your computer. Now, this is only true if you have one of those programs running at the exact same time you're trying to use the spellchecker. If you have those programs closed out, you can still access the spellchecker and it should work fine (that is, if you have a word processing program installed). 4.) One other problem could be the way you have your spellchecker set up. If you meet all of the requirements needed to make the spellchecker work, but it's still not doing its job, try this little ditty. Go toTools, Options and click on the Spelling tab. Make sure the option that says "Always check spelling before sending" is checked. That way, you won't have to worry if the spelling was corrected or not, because it will automatically be done for you before every e-mail is sent off to the recipient. Obviously, the last cause is the easiest to cure, but at least now you have some guidelines you can follow if you ever need to solve the missing spellchecker mystery again! ~ Erin Was this tip helpful? Let us know by rating it right here:
http://www.worldstart.com/
Working with MS Office 2007? Have you noticed a huge change in the way program windows containing a ribbon deliver the Screen Tips? I mean, when I hovered over a button on a toolbar in older Office programs, I got a tip that looked something like this: Now, I get this: While I absolutely see the value of the Screen Tips, for someone who knows what they're looking at, the new ones are rather large and could be considered to be "in the way." So, can you turn them off? Of course. That is, if you know where to look! As you might expect, the Screen Tips can be controlled through the program's Options dialogue window, so let's start there. You can find the program's Options button through the Office Button. Once you're in the Options dialogue window, you need the Popular category, Top options for working with. You then need the Screen Tip style drop down list. Here you can choose to either turn them off altogether or reduce the amount of information the tips are giving you. To shorten them, choose "Don't show feature description in Screen Tips." That will stop all the extra information, but it will still give you the feature/button's name and any key combination that applies to it. (Basically, they're back to what they were before Office 2007). Or, you could choose "Don't show Screen Tips," which will turn them off completely. Either way, you'll feel a bit more "at home" in your Office 2007 programs! Oh, and one more piece of good news: I found that making the change in one of my Office 2007 programs (such as Excel) made the change for all of them, so I didn't have to repeat myself every time I worked on something new. Yes! ~ April Did you like this tip? No? Give us your opinion by rating it here:
http://www.worldstart.com/
Q: A: For the most part today, I'm going to focus on AIM, because it's more widely used and well known. Awhile back, this statement was discovered in AOL's terms of service: "AOL has the right to read, and even publish publicly, your private IM conversations." It then goes on to say, "You waive any right to privacy." So, what does all that mean exactly? Well, it basically means that when you decide to use the AIM chat program, AOL has the right to use any of your conversations as they see fit at any time. That's a bit scary, don't you think?! Now, whether or not AOL publishes your conversation obviously depends on the content of your discussion. If you're just chatting with a friend about what time you're going to go to the movies on Saturday night, they're not going to make that public knowledge. Or, if you're just talking to your daughter about what you're going to get your grandson for his birthday, they're not going to share that information with the world. On the other hand, if you're using AIM for business purposes, that could be a whole different story. If you're using AIM to discuss private business matters, AOL could easily publish your conversation for the entire online world to see. And it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that could put you and your company at great risk. So, if you're ever going to discuss something you don't want anyone else to know about, don't use a free instant messaging program like AIM. For that kind of thing, you'll want to use a secure business class IM solution or simply use your company e-mail account. That way, you won't take the chance of your private information being leaked out all over the Web. Yes, all of this does seem a bit unfair, but AOL has to do what they have to do. They're allowed to create their own privacy policy with their own terms, so you should always keep that in mind and abide by it. You need to take the right steps to keep yourself safe as well. This is just something to think about. I hope I've opened your eyes to a whole new side of the IM community. Take it for what it's worth! ~ Erin Did you enjoy this tip? Not so much? Tell us how you feel by rating it here: Have a question for the newsletter? Submit it at the link below:
http://www.worldstart.com/
http://www.worldstart.com/
It's Never Been Easier To Move Your Files, Photos, Songs - Anything! Just Plug This Cable Into Your USB Slots! Then Just Drag & Drop! Special Price Today ONLY (12-24-2008)! HEY! Let me ask you a question or two :-) Have you ever needed to get the files from one computer to another? You know what I mean,maybe you just got a new computer and you want to get all your files, songs, photos, etc from the old computer to the new one. Maybe you have a laptop and wish there was an easy to way to get share your laptop and desktop files. Maybe you need a file or some photos off of a friend's computer. Who knows, maybe you just have a really big file that needs transferred from one computer to another. So, are you still doing it the old way? Do you try and copy Gigs and Gigs of info to a flash drive? Burn dozens of CD-ROMs? Or worse - Try to e-mail the files? (Please tell me you're not doing that!) Don't ya wish there was a better way? There is! We have these amazing Direct Link Cables and they're going to change your computing life forever! They allow you to quickly and easily transfer files from one computer to another via the USB ports! Get this - you just plug one end into the computer that has the files you want, then plug the other end into the computer you want to transfer those file to - that's it! An Explorer-like window will open up one each screen and you just drag and drop! Anyone can do it, and it's MUCH easier than messing around with CDs or Flash drives! What about the install? HA - There is none! Just plug and play, these have the drivers built right in! If you can pop in a USB plug and click a mouse, you're in the club! Plus, these are USB 2.0, so it's like transferring your data with a souped-up Ferrari! Talk about fast - you'll be blown away at how quickly you get files from one computer to another. Oh, and don't worry if you only have USB 1.x - still works just fine! I tell ya, there is simply no better way to get files from computer to computer! Just wait till the next time you need to move either large numbers or large size files - you'll be THRILLED you grabbed this! I love to use it when I'm transferring my photos from my trips off my laptop onto my main computer - it's an incredible time saver! Oh, and just wait till you upgrade to your next computer - your data is going to be there before you know it. Works for ANY kind of file you have too! Seriously, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it! You'll find it becomes as essential to your computer as your mouse! Why spend countless hours burning CDs and trying to transfer large files with flash drives? Just plug this into your computers, drag and drop, and be done with it already! If you're ever, in your life, going to get another computer or need to get a file from one computer to another, you absolutely, positively MUST get yourself one of these! Your cost for all this file-moving bliss? For today, we're talkin' just $15.97 and US shipping is FREE! Insane not to get one! Oh, and if you don't think it's as cool as I say it is, you can send it back within 60 days for a refund! That's how confident I am that you'll love this too! Check it out: http://store.worldstart.com/ PS - This special price is ONLY guaranteed today, 12-24-2008, so make sure you sprint on over to the site and get yourself setup with one of these! Next time you need to move files, you'll agree that this is the best cable you've ever owned!
Reversing a Spell Checker "Oops" Have you ever realized that either part way through a spell check or when you're done, you've just told MS Word to Ignore All on something that should have been corrected? Did you find yourself staring blankly at your computer, dreading the Find/Replace procedure you're forced to run to fix the error? And even after that's done, you're probably going to double check the document manually as well, aren't you? Wish you could just start the spell check over and get Word to ignore your Ignore All command? Good news, you can! Word comes with the ability to recheck the document and clear the Ignore All list so that you can get the mistake corrected the second time through. To recheck the document and reset the Ignore All list, you first need to start the spell check command. You can get there via the Tools menu, Spelling and Grammar choice or the Review ribbon, Spelling and Grammar button. And as always, the F7 key works too. At this point, you're looking for the Options button. In older Office versions, in the Spelling and Grammar Options window, you're looking for the Proofing Tools section, Recheck Document button. (This button may be labeled as Check Document if you haven't previously run a spell check). In Office 2007, the Options button will take you to the program's Options window. Once there, you're still looking for the Recheck Document button. Click the Recheck Document button. Word will warn you that you're about to restart the spell check, disregarding your previous Ignore choices. You need to click Yes to confirm your decision. You'll be sent back to the Spelling and Grammar Options page where you'll need to click OK. Finally, you'll be taken back to the spell check process where you'll get a second chance to choose to ignore or not to ignore. Yes! ~ April
Please fill me in on the rest of the 25 most common mistakes we all make when it comes to e-mail security. I'm dying to know!
A:
So, tell me, how many of those have you done? If it was a lot, don't feel bad. It happens to all of us at one time or another, but after today, you will know everything you're not supposed to do when dealing with your e-mail and you'll be able to correct your mistakes. It's better late than never, right?! Okay, let's get started with the top 13, as continued from yesterday. Here we go!
13.) Believing Scam Titles - We've all received them before. You know, the e-mails that tell us we've won the lottery or that someone wants to send us a bunch of money or maybe even one that told us we won an iPod or a laptop. No matter which way they come through, they are all junk! Don't ever fall for one of these scams, because I'm here to tell you that they're just not true. They never were and they never will be. The best thing to do is just delete them from your Inbox as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you'll fall into the trap and you'll be the one to lose out in the end. Please trust me on this one!
14.) Falling for the Phish - This is another one that we've all probably fallen for before. Even the most experienced e-mail user probably opens up a phishing e-mail from time to time. Whether it's on purpose or by accident, those e-mails are tempting, but it's important to see those e-mails for what they really are. Phishers send out these types of fraud e-mails in an attempt to trick you into giving out some of your personal information, etc. This could be anything from your passwords to your bank account information, etc.
Phishing e-mails can come in several different forms as well. Usually, the phishers will steal the logo from a well known company and pass it off for the real thing. Some of the most popular ones are PayPal and different banks. The e-mail will then ask you to click on a link to verify some information and once you do that, you're done. They will have all of your personal information and you will have a hard time getting things back to normal. So, just be cautious with every e-mail you open. Don't give your personal details out to anyone. Keeping to yourself in the e-mail world is just the best way to stay safe.
15.) Sending Personal Information - You may have done this before in an e-mail conversation with one of your friends or family members. And while it may seem safe to do that with those people, it's still not a good idea to send those kinds of details through e-mail. This holds true for any personal information, such as your address, phone number, social security number or any of your usernames and passwords, as well as, any financial information. Also, you should always avoid writing your bank via e-mail. You never know when those e-mails will end up in the wrong hands. It's best to leave your personal information to a face to face form of contact, instead of through your e-mail program.
16.) Unsubscribing to Nothing - Do you ever receive a newsletter in your e-mail that you never even signed up for? Well, if you have, they are more than likely coming from a spammer. That's one of the oldest spam tricks in the book. They send you fake newsletters and then provide you with a link that will allow you to unsubscribe if you'd like. If you ever get something like that, don't ever click on that Unsubscribe button. If you do, you may end up with a whole new load of spam mail the next day. The best thing to do is just block the e-mail address that the newsletters are coming from. That way, you won't have to deal with them in your e-mail anymore and you will also save yourself from a lot of spam or even a virus.
17.) Trusting Your Friends - Okay, I'm not telling you to not trust your friends, but I am telling you to not always trust the e-mails you get from them. When you get an e-mail from a friend, you probably instantly throw all of your caution instincts out the window. You figure the e-mail is safe to open since it has your friend's e-mail address right there in front of you. Well, unfortunately, that may not always be the case. Hackers are able to retrieve the information they need to send out e-mails that look like they're coming from a legit source. If you open an e-mail like this, you may be at risk for a virus or even just a lot of malware. If you get an e-mail from a friend where the subject line seems a little fishy, don't open it. Scan all of your incoming e-mails very carefully and only open those that you know for sure are safe.
18.) Not Blocking the Spam - When you get spam in your e-mail, do you delete it or do you actually add the address it came from to your blacklist? Well, the best thing to do is add it to your list. If you just delete the spam mail, it will still come back time and time again. But, if you add the e-mail address to your blocked senders list, you will save yourself from receiving any e-mails from that address again. Now, a lot of the spam e-mails that circulate around do not come from the same users, but a lot of it does. So, if you hit that Block button each time you get a new piece of spam, you will be putting a stop to a lot of the spam you receive.
19.) Disabling the Filter - If you're just starting out with a new e-mail account, you may not give a lot of value to the spam filter each e-mail client provides. Yes, it can be a little frustrating when the filter blocks an e-mail that should have gone through to your Inbox, but in the end, it's really doing you a favor. This is especially true for older e-mail accounts that have had the chance to accumulate a lot of spam mail. The best thing to do is whitelist all of your friends and family members. That way, those e-mail addresses won't get caught up in the spam filter and you'll be able to read all of the wanted e-mail you get, while the unwanted stuff stays where it belongs. In the trash!
20.) Not Scanning Attachments - Do you receive a lot of attachments with the e-mails you get? If so, did you know that attachments are very likely to carry viruses? If you didn't know, you do now and it's time you do something about it. It's very important that you scan all attachments before you open them. A lot of e-mail clients have a built in scanner and they will take care of it as your e-mail comes in. If that's the case, you won't even have to worry about your attachments, because they will have already been checked for you. If your e-mail doesn't have a scanner, you may want to think about switching e-mail clients. Either do that or you may have to pay for a scanner of your own. (Just FYI, most free e-mail programs have the scanner option, including Yahoo! and Gmail). So, it may be worth opening up a free account, don't you think? After all, it is your computer's safety!
21.) Sharing Your Information - Have you ever been in a jam and you needed to check your e-mail right away? It's happened to all of us at one time or another, but when it happens to you, what do you do? Do you call up your closest friend or a co-worker and ask them to check it for you? If so, that's a big no no! Of course, you probably call someone you trust, but either way, once you give out that password, your e-mail account is no longer as safe as it was. This is especially true if the person checking your e-mail doesn't use the same security measures as you. If they're checking it on another computer, you know it's probably not as safe as yours. Also, if you happen to write down your account information, make sure it is destroyed after it's used. You don't want just anyone finding it and accessing your information. But, the best thing to do is just keep it all to yourself. You can check your e-mail at your earliest convenience. It's not going to be the end of the world!
22.) Using the Wrong Passwords - What type of password do you have for your e-mail account? Hopefully it's not your name or some other easy to guess word. If you use a simple password, hackers will be able to crack it in a matter of seconds. Once they do, you know what happens. Yep, you will start to get piles and piles of spam e-mail. So, if you're trying to think of a good password to use or if you need to change yours after reading this tip, follow these suggestions. A good, strong password should have at least eight characters and it should be as meaningless to you as possible. It's also a good idea to use both small and capital letters when typing it out. If you do all of that, hackers will have a hard time figuring out your password and that means less spam!
23.) Forgetting to Encrypt - Do you encrypt your e-mails? If not, you should seriously think about starting to do so. If you do this, it will make it extremely hard for anyone who may be watching your computer to understand what you're saying. This will then make it difficult for them to get any of your information, etc. If you don't already have an encryption program installed on your computer, you may want to check out PGP. It is one of the most popular e-mail encryption programs. Now, it may not be completely realistic to encrypt every single one of your e-mails, but it's smart to at least do it for any that contain sensitive information. Remember, it's for your own security!
24.) Not Encrypting Your Wireless - This one goes along with number 23, but it has to do with encrypting your wireless Internet connection. Above, I told you to encrypt your e-mail messages, but if you start with your wireless connection, you won't even have to worry about hackers getting into your e-mail account in the first place. It only takes a few minutes to encrypt your wireless, so it's definitely worth the time. The most common encryption standard for wireless is WPA2 and you can find information about getting that done by doing a search for it with your favorite search engine.
25.) Not Using Digital Signatures - We're almost done now! If you didn't know, you can now use digital signatures at the end of your e-mails. Digital signatures will help to prove where certain e-mails come from and who they're sent by. They also make it a lot harder for anyone to modify your signature and change all of your information around. It's very important to use this type of signature when sending out sensitive e-mails. It will keep both you and the receiver as safe as possible. You can find information about getting your own digital signature by searching for the term with any search engine.
So, there you have it. The 25 most common e-mail mistakes. We've all done them and if we haven't, we probably will. In today's world, it's hard not to make some safety mistakes when dealing with your e-mail, but at least you now know some things you can do to combat any insecurity. I hope this tip will help to keep all of you just a little bit safer in the e-mail world!
~ Erin
Have a question for the newsletter? Submit it at the link below:
http://www.worldstart.com/
The Power Supply So, tell me, has your computer ever made a noise that sounds like one of your fans is dying? I'm sure you would know if it has, because it can be pretty loud and it usually just sounds awful! Well, either way, I'm willing to bet that your fan really isn't the culprit here. Nope, it could be your power supply instead. If you have a noisy fan, you smell something burning or you see smoke or flames shooting out the back of your computer, you may very well have a problem with your power supply. And I assure you, that's a whole lot worse than a dead fan if you don't catch it right away. Keep reading for more on this! There are many different things that could cause your power supply to go bad. For instance, the fan that runs next to your power supply could get clogged up with dust and dirt and start to run much slower or the fan's bearings could start to wear off. When those things happen, your power supply is at risk of overheating and it will eventually fail. Or, it could have nothing to do with your fan. Perhaps the power supply itself was faulty from the get go and it only took a matter of time before it failed completely. Even more so, if you're having trouble with your computer shutting down and restarting itself at random times, that could be another indicator that your power supply is going bad. And since your motherboard, CPU, disk drives, etc. all work off of the power supply, it's not a good idea to take a chance on it getting any better. If you do, you'll just have more trouble down the road. Don't worry though, replacing a power supply is rather easy to do and it's fairly cost friendly. So, if your computer is experiencing any of the symptoms I mentioned above, you'll want to check into getting a new power supply. It's a small price to pay for the safety of your computer! ~ Erin
It's official: Windows 7 to be called "Windows 7"
Wed Oct 15, 2008 11:32AM EDT
I've never understood the tech world's love affair with "code names." Consider Windows Vista: For years it was known widely by its code name, "Longhorn." And just when everyone got used to calling it Longhorn, Microsoft up and sprang a new name on us, and the education process had to start again from scratch. Reporters and consumers continued to use the code name for months before finally switching over.Intel is even worse: It has dozens of code names for its various chip projects, some of which are nearly unpronounceable. Intel's code names are so ingrained in its products that they persist even after the product is launched, much to the confusion of the general public, which couldn't begin to tell you the difference between your Meroms and your Montevinas.
Well Microsoft has finally taken a step in the right direction on the code name front: The Windows 7 project (which has additional code names but which has primarily been referred to as just "Windows 7") is going to be released with its current moniker intact. Windows 7, when it's released circa January 2010, will be known as just that: Windows 7.
In a blog post explaining the naming decision, Microsoft says that the decision to go back to a version-number naming system (which hasn't been used since the Windows 3.x series in the early 1990s) is all about "simplicity." After playing with dates (95, 98, 2000), largely meaningless characters (XP), and "aspirational monikers" (Vista), we've come full ciricle, and I'm thankful for it. (One has to imagine the company would also like to distance itself from the Vista brand name as much as it can, too.)
Hopefully Microsoft will stick with version numbers going forward. As the company says, it really does simplify things for everyone and makes it easy to comprehend the relative distance between different versions, plus it means a lot less typing for me.
Below are a few tips you can use to get your digital camera squeaky clean. Let's check them out!
Lenses
Basic lens cleaning tools are a blower, a microfiber cloth and lens cleaning fluid (such as Zeiss). Try to blast dust off the lens with the blower or canned air. Finger prints can be removed with a circular wipe of the microfiber cloth. Persistent dirt should be removed with lens cleaning fluid as well. Always drip the fluid onto the cloth and then wipe the lens. Don't ever put the fluid directly on the lens.
SLR Mirrors
Don't even think about cleaning the mirror on your SLR camera. You could use a handheld blower to remove any dust particles, but canned air is too powerful. Technicians clean mirrors with some kind of special fluid and they often do it for free at camera clinics run by shops or conventions. Mirrors have very fragile surfaces and you shouldn't even think about cleaning them with a standard lens cleaning solution or cloth.
Flash Contacts
Modern TTL flash systems have numerous contacts and if you don't clean them every now and then with a pencil eraser or something similar, you may end up with several intermittent failures.
Camera Body Sensor
One of the great things about digital SLRs is you can change the lenses as necessary for different projects. However, during those lens changes, there is a risk of dust falling "onto the sensor." In fact, the CMOS or CCD sensor is covered by a color filter or a clear glass plate, so the dust actually falls on the sensor's covering. Nonetheless, you want to be careful and non-aggressive, because if anything near the sensor is scratched, the camera will have to go in for professional service.
Now's the time to get out the owner's manual for your camera. Make sure the battery is fully charged and then follow the instructions to flip up the mirror for the "sensor cleaning mode." If you can't dislodge dust using a simple hand-squeezed blower, consider visiting a camera repair shop.
Camera Body Exterior
Camera and lens bodies are fairly well sealed against dust and moisture, so you don't really ever have to clean the exteriors of your equipment. On the other hand, if you don't want the dirt on the camera body to work its way into your camera bag and onto an optical surface, it's probably worth wiping off the body with a soft cloth.
Just a few things to think about. Happy cleaning!
~ Ramachandran Kumaraswami
Have you ever experienced any of the following problems with wireless Internet in Windows Vista?
- Being repeatedly disconnected from a hotspot.
- Automatically connecting to a hotspot you didn’t want to connect to.
- Not being able to connect to the wireless hotspot you would like.
If so, I can say that I have experienced those problems too. The good news is Vista includes a tool to solve the problems for you. And I’m going to show you how to use it right now!
1.) To begin, go to Start, Control Panel.
2.) In the search box in the upper right hand corner, type "manage wireless."
3.) From the search results, select Manage wireless networks.
4.) A window similar to this will appear, with all of your hotspots listed:
5.) Now, if any of your hotspots are missing, here's how you can add them to the list.
6.) You need to be in range of the hotspot and then press Add.
7.) Next, select "Add a network that is in range of this computer."
8.) Now, connect to the network like you normally would and it will be added to the list.
9.) Next, you're going to set the order of the hotspots. That will indicate in which order Windows will try to connect to the hotspots. Organizing the list is as easy as dragging and dropping!
10.) I want to show you one last thing. Right click on any hotspot and choose Properties.
11.) You'll see two options there: "Connect automatically when this network is in range" and "Connect to a more preferred network if available."
12.) Those allow you to toggle on and off whether Vista should automatically connect to them or not. I like to enable them both, because that means if Vista can’t find my main hotspot, it will connect to the next one on the list.
There you have it. Vista wireless networks made easy!
~ Neil Patel
Do you frequently use MS Excel charts? If so, do you ever find yourself in a situation where you've gone completely through the charting process, had a beautiful graph made and realized you spelled a word wrong?
What now?
Do you have to start all over?
Oh, I hope not! There must be a quick and easy solution somewhere.
Well, breathe easy, because there sure is!
Mistakes in an Excel chart are often fixed with just a click, click.
Did you know that the chart and the data are connected? (A change in the data will automatically change the chart).
Well, that also works with the data labels you highlighted to create the chart. If there's a misspelled word, you can correct it right in the worksheet and just like magic, the chart is fixed too!
But what about all the other titles you put in the graph?
Don't worry. There's an easy fix for that too!
Simply click twice on the title that needs to be changed.
That's right! All you have to do is click, wait a second and then click again.
You'll get a cursor in the text, so you can make any necessary changes.
When you're finished, simply click somewhere else in the graph.
All the mistakes are gone!
~ April
Q:
Can you maybe give us a list of pros and cons for Google Chrome? Thanks!
A:
Great idea! I know there has been a lot of hype the past couple of weeks about the new Web browser from Google called Google Chrome. Yes, it's great to finally have a browser from Google, but along with the excitement, people are having some reservations. So, yes, the best thing to do is put together a list of pros and cons for the browser and you all can decide for yourselves. We're going to start with the pros today and we'll then go over the cons in tomorrow's newsletter. Okay, let's get busy!
Pros
1.) Google Chrome will not crash. Everything within the browser runs on its own, so you won't have to deal with bad Web sites or browser crashes. That also adds a little more security, because it isolates everything into its own environment.
2.) Google Chrome is really fast. Again, since everything works on its own, one slow Web site won't drag the rest of your work down. You can just go to another tab or window and be on your way!
3.) Google Chrome is unnoticeable (in a good way!) The interface for Google Chrome is perfectly streamlined, so you won't even know you're in a Web browser. Most of your window space is devoted to the Web site you're visiting, so there are no big buttons, etc. taking up all your room.
4.) Google Chrome makes searching easier. One of the main features in Google Chrome is Omnibox, which is basically an all-purpose bar located at the top of the browser that you can use to search for something or to find a Web site. All you have to do is type in a URL or a search term and it will do the rest of the work for you. Omnibox also remembers the sites you've visited and suggests others you might like.
5.) Google Chrome gives you more tab control. Tabbed browsing is taken to the next level with Google Chrome. You can drag and drop your tabs, you can combine them together, you can set up your own configurations and so much more!
6.) Google Chrome livens up your homepage. The Google Chrome homepage is very dynamic and like I said before about the Omnibox feature, it will remember the Web sites you've been to so that you can revisit them with ease. It also compiles a list of your favorite top nine sites and displays them on the homepage. Of course, you can change your top nine at any time, but that's just another example of how Google Chrome makes your life easier!
7.) Google Chrome keeps you private. Along with everything else, Google Chrome also offers a private browsing option. It's called Incognito and it basically sets up a browsing area for you that is away from everything else on your computer. You get your own private window to search with, which keeps your information as private as possible.
Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?! I know we haven't gotten into the cons for Google Chrome yet, but the seven pros above will give you something to think about before tomorrow's edition of the newsletter. We'll delve right into the cons first thing tomorrow, so be sure to stay tuned!
~ Erin
As many of you are aware SiteMeter has developed a Yahoo Widget that allows you to view your sites daily page views and visit totals “live”, on your computer’s desktop, as they happen.
A few months back we were introduced to Rajesh Lal. He was interested in making a similar tool for SiteMeter members using Windows Vista Gadgets. Rajesh Lal is an author, technology evangelist, and solutions engineer specializing in web technologies. Rajesh has completed the new Widget and has also written a book on how to construct you own gadgets.
We have arranged with Rajesh to provide anyone wanting to have a SiteMeter Vista gadget on their desktop with a full working version available through download. Just download the gadget, enter your SiteMeter codename and password and track your sites stats, live on your computer desktop. You will of course need to be using Windows Vista.
The download is available here.
For those interested in learning how to create your own Vista Gadgets the book is titled - Creating Vista Gadgets - Using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with Examples in RSS, Ajax, ActiveX (COM), and Silverlight.
The book is oriented towards beginner to intermediate users and teaches how to –
• Build a blog tracking Gadget
• Create an Information Gadget with Ajax
• Develop Utility Gadgets using ActiveX (COM)
• Incorporate Internet Radio and YouTube Videos in Gadgets
The book’s cover price is $34.99 and can be found at Borders, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com and other online retailers. The book is published under the SAMS label and is also “Safari Books Online Enabled”. For more information you can go to www.innovatewithgadgets.com.
Source:- http://weblog.sitemeter.com/2008/06/18/new-sitemeter-windows-vista-gadget/
Why does my PC take so long to shut down?
Dear CNET members,
Happy Friday! Sorry I missed you folks last week, I had some troubles with both my wrists and was decommissioned for a while. However, I'm back in the saddle again. So have you folks had a chance to check out the all-new CNET? I hope you have and I really hope you enjoy it, our entire staff has put countless hours and energy into bring you this new experience. If you haven't done so already, after you've soaked into our new site experience for a while, tell us what you think--hate it or love it, go to the top of any CNET page and click the "Send feedback" link and tell us about it, we are all ears. Now let's get right into Victoria's question on why her PC takes so long to shut down.
Well Victoria, after reading many of our member suggestions for you, there can be many factors that could be causing your Windows system to shut down so slowly. It can range from your PC being infected with viruses/spyware and having an overly defragmented drive, to an excessive amount of programs running in the background, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. The major reasons why PCs will eventually take longer to shut down is simply because more programs in the background need to be ended before the operating system can completely shut down. And one quick solution for that is to minimize clutter and unnecessary programs on your PC, but it may not be as simple as that. So give all the answers a read, start with the simple recommended tasks, and see if there are any improvements. If not, go forward from there. I have selected a few answers to get you started in the Q&A section.
For those of you who suggested completely wiping your hard drive clean and reinstalling Windows, I would keep this option as a last resort. While this is a completely valid method of ridding yourself of many Windows problems, unless you are up to the task and know exactly what you are doing, it can be a daunting task. If you have any more suggestions or advice for Victoria, please swing on by and post your suggestions in the discussion thread. Thanks everyone and have a great weekend!
Cheers!
- Lee
Got suggestions? Send me an e-mail: messageboards@cnet.com
Friends many of your PC/laptop's normally gets virus because of Pen Drives or USB devices (Even PC's who are not connected to network ). Some Virus like Ravmon Virus , Heap41a worm which are not detected by anti virus normally spreads mostly by the Pen Drives . In such a case what can you do to prevent your PC from getting infected with Virus that spreads through USB devices or Pen Drives ?
You can protect your PC by just following the simple steps below . It won't take much time.
* Connect your Pen Drive or USB drive to your computer .
* Now a dialogue window will popup asking you to choose among the options as shown in the figure.
Don't choose any of them , Just simply click Cancel.
* *Now go to Start-- Run and type cmd to open the Command Prompt window ..
* *Now go to My Computer and Check the Drive letter of your USB drive or Pen Drive. ( E.g. If it is written Kingston (I:) , then I: will be the drive letter ..)
* *In the Command Window ( cmd ) , type the drive letter: and Hit Enter ..
* *Now type dir/w/o/a/p and Hit Enter
* *You will get a list of files . In the list , search if anyone of the following do exist
*
* 1. Autorun.inf
* 2. New Folder.exe
* 3. Bha.vbs
* 4. Iexplore.vbs
* 5. Info.exe
* 6. New_Folder.exe
* 7. Ravmon.exe
* 8. RVHost.exe or any other files with .exe Extension .
*
* If you find any one of the files above , Run the command attrib -h -r -s -a *.* and Hit Enter.
* Now Delete each File using the following Command del filename ( E.g del autorun.inf ) .
* That's it . Now just scan your USB drive with the anti virus you have to ensure that you made your Pen Drive free of Virus .
To know whether ur system is infected just type C:heap41a in the address bar...
if there is a folder named heap41a, then ur system is infected...
(AVAST antivirus is the best solution for this worm...) symantec also works.
I ran into a problem the other day. I needed to know how big an envelope was, but I couldn’t find a tape measure or a ruler to save my life. So, I started looking online for one and ran into this Web site!
Screen-o-Meter is a site that allows you to measure things online with your monitor’s screen. All you need to know is the size of the screen your monitor has. If you were to measure it, you would measure the diagonal length of the screen from corner to corner. The site is set up to work with TFT and LCD monitors, but with some adjustments, you can use it with a CRT monitor as well.
To begin measuring, set the monitor screen size. Choose the correct one from the drop down box on the right hand side of the page.
Next, select how long you want the Screen-o-Meter to be. Then click on the Let’s See button. That will take you to the page where your ruler will load.
On the Measurement page, you can test it to see if it's accurate. You’ll put in your screen size and then click on the Check button. When the page loads, there will be a large orange circle. If a CD or DVD fits in the circle perfectly, you know you are calibrated right and you're getting precise measurements.
Back on the main page, under the Main Measurement field, you’ll see a link for a rectangular ruler. That's how you would measure envelopes and such. You just put in the dimensions you’re trying to get and it makes a ruler for it. For example, you could do 3x5, 5x7, 8x11, etc.
Seeing as I can never find a ruler or tape measure when I need one, I know I’ll be using this Web site a lot. I hope you will too!
http://som_en.showdown.hu/
Well, I found a very interesting experiment that aimed to find the answers to those very questions. The project is called the Spammed Persistently All Month (S.P.A.M) Experiment. The study was put together by the McAfee security company and it found some very interesting results.
The experiment was conducted all over the world by 50 different volunteers. McAfee gave each of those people a brand new computer with no antivirus or spam filtering software. They were also given a PayPal account to make payments for items they decided to investigate. Each of the volunteers in the experiment were told to respond to every spam e-mail they received. They were also told to visit "bad" Web sites and follow through with phishing e-mails they received. The results were unbelievable!
Most of the volunteers were left with computers that would barely function, e-mail boxes that were crammed with spam and mail showing up at their front door addressed to the fake names they used for the experiment. The U.S. volunteers received 23,233 spam e-mails by the end of the one month study. That was the most compared to the rest of the world. Eighteen percent of the e-mails were phishing e-mails and the largest amount was in English.
The study shows exactly what happens if you're not careful on the Internet. It's not hard to have your computer completely taken over by junk!
If you want to read more about the S.P.A.M Experiment, you can visit the Web site where each of the volunteers kept a blog. They wrote about their experiences daily. You can check it all out right here. Until next time, stay safe out there, my friends!
~ Gary
Google Tips
So, tell me, are you a huge fan of Google? Do you use it to do all of your important searching on the Internet? It's okay to admit it. Trust me, you're not the only one! Now, do you have the Google searching strategy down to a tee? You know, do you know what to type in the search box to get exactly what you're looking for? Not quite sure if you do or not? Then you've got to check out the tip we're showcasing on our homepage today. It's called Google Tips and it will tell you everything you need to know about searching the right way with Google!
I’ve always loved the idea of Web counters, but it's always been a grueling task to find one that was visually appealing, as well as, accurate. But not anymore. With 99 Counters, you can make your own counters, just the way you want them, all for free!
All you have to do to get started is register. Begin by clicking on the Sign Up button. All you need is a working e-mail address and to create a password for your account. As soon as you’ve registered, it takes you right to the page where you can start making your own counters!
Choose a theme from the drop down box, name your counter and just like that, you’re done! Or, you can go to the My Themes tab and completely customize your counter.
Start by naming your theme. Then click on the Choose Options link next to each item. For example, Size, Border, Background, etc. That will allow you to edit each of those areas to your exact specifications. You can now use your newly created theme from the drop down menu on the My Counters tab.
This is a very easy way to create a counter from your own customizations. Once you’ve created your counter, it gives you the code you need to embed it on your Web page, social networking profile or blog. Have fun!
~ Amanda
When you're printing something (whether it's part of a Web page or even part of WorldStart's newsletter), do you ever just want to print part of it instead of the whole thing? I know I like to do that sometimes, because it saves me paper and printer ink. And besides that, why print the whole document when you only need bits and pieces of it? Well, if you would like to learn how you can do that, through selective printing, just click on the link below now! http://imgsrv.worldstart.com/
Or, if you would just like to read today's tip, you can do that as well, here:
http://www.worldstart.com/
A computer virus is a lot like a human virus. It's contagious, disgusting and something you’d like to stay away from as much as possible. Just like a cold virus, it can be passed on very quickly and it’s difficult to recover from.
So, how does one catch a computer virus? Well, the most common way of transferring and contracting viruses is by copying infected material onto or from an infected floppy disk, CD or DVD. Another way is by receiving infected programs or data files. Since the Internet is quickly replacing the floppy diskette/CD/DVD as the method by which computer data and programs are exchanged, it has also become a vehicle for virus transmission. It can be in the form of an e-mail attachment or by visiting FTP Web sites. The e-mail message alone cannot contain infected data, however, it is possible to attach infected programs and/or data files to an e-mail message. FTP sites are also very popular on the Internet for transferring programs and data files. If the programs or data files on the FTP site are infected, anyone who opens the file will contract the virus.
Removing a virus can be a very challenging task for anyone. But with the right information, it's possible to eliminate a virus infection from your computer. Prevention, however, is better yet! But how, you ask? Well, with regular virus scans, of course!
Scanning for a Virus
1.) If you have an antivirus program installed on your computer (Norton, McAfee, AVG, etc.), it's recommend that you update it before running a scan. Also, make sure it's not expired. If it is, you will not be able to download the latest virus definitions. There's no point in running a scan if your software is not up to date, because new viruses will not be identified and cleared out.
2.) Let’s start by finding your antivirus program. It will more than likely have an icon in your system tray, located in the bottom right hand corner of your screen. After you find it, double click on the icon to open the program.
If you don’t have an icon, you can find your antivirus program by going to Start, All Programs.
3.) You are now on your antivirus program’s main page or control center. Here’s where you can find all the functions your antivirus program offers. Go ahead and click on the tab to run a virus scan.
4.) After you click on the Scan tab, it will give you the option to select the drive you want to scan. It's recommended that you choose the Scan Computer option so that your whole computer is checked.
5.) It will practically run on its own after that. When the scan finishes, it will open a report window where you’ll be able to see if there was a virus found and if it has been healed or quarantined. If need be, it will give you the option to delete it as well.
Plus, to make your life easier, you can even program the antivirus software to run a scan automatically. You can opt to have it scan every time you start up your computer or even just once a week. Cool, huh?! Here are the steps for setting up a scheduled scan.
Scheduling an Automatic Scan
1.) Open up your antivirus program.
2.) Select the drive, disks or files you want to be included in the automatic scan.
3.) From the Tools menu, select Scheduler, then Schedule Scan. (Note: The wording may be different for different antivirus programs, but look for something similar).
4.) Click New.
5.) Follow the prompt and specify an answer for the questions it asks. Here are some of the things you may need to provide:
- Event Type: Select the event from the drop down menu (for example, "scan all disks").
- When To Do: Select a specified time.
- How Often: Select weekly, system startup or whatever you think is best for your computer.
- Start Time: Enter the date and time.
- Enter the date on the calendar.
6.) Click Done and you're good to go!
Now, what if you don’t have an antivirus program installed on your PC? What can you do? Well, the solution is just a few clicks away if you have an Internet connection. Again, the simplicity of getting a free online scan is so easy, you’ll wonder why you never thought of it before. Simply use a search engine like Google, Yahoo!, etc. to find a free online virus scan and choose one that suits your needs the best.
The key to a virus free computer is making sure you have all the necessary programs installed to protect your PC while you surf the Internet and do all of your other work. Here's to getting rid of viruses for good!
~ Cory Buford
