Tiplet expert tips & tech support

April 10, 2009

How to Connect Your Laptop to a Wireless Network

Filed under: Internet,privacy & security — Tags: , , — admin @ 5:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

One of the best things about having a laptop is having the ability to mobilize your computing. Instead of being tied down to your desk in your home or office, you can work anywhere there is an accessible wireless access point, such as your favorite coffee shop, the library, or the airport. However, unless you’re already familiar with the procedure for getting online at one of these wireless access providers, it can be a little bit confusing. So here’s what to do once you’ve arrived at the coffee shop and unpacked your laptop.
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April 8, 2009

How Can I Display Weather Information on My Computer?

Filed under: Internet — Tags: , , , — admin @ 8:00 am

by Gabe Goldberg

It’s as easy to look up weather information on the Internet as it is to find anything else online. It just take a few clicks, typing a URL or fetching a bookmark, waiting for a Web page to load, then clicking for specific data if it’s not the default display. What could be simpler?

How about automatic, always-displayed, always-current summary (today/tonight/tomorrow) weather data displayed without occupying prime display real estate, with more details available by mouseover actions and full details via one click, PLUS warnings of severe weather or other hazards?
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April 7, 2009

What Is the Difference between PCMCIA and Express?

Filed under: Internet,mobile computing,Windows,wireless computing — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 5:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

Your laptop probably has a slot for either a PCMCIA or an ExpressCard. PCMCIA is the older standard, used many times for modems or wireless broadband cards. Lately, however, laptop manufacturers have been building machines with Express slots instead of PCMCIA. That might throw you for a loop if you’re not careful, since the slots for PCMCIA and Express are similar. You’ll quickly find that they are not interchangeable, however. If you buy a new laptop with an Express slot and your broadband wireless card is PCMCIA, it will not work in your new system.
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April 6, 2009

What Is an IP Address, and How Do I Find Out What Mine Is?

Filed under: Internet,online computing — Tags: , , — admin @ 5:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

Computing was much simpler before the days of the World Wide Web, but it was probably a lot less fun too. These days, most of our computer time is spent online, connected to other computers, looking for information housed on some other computer that might be halfway around the world.
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April 5, 2009

How to Synchronize Your Computer Clock with an Online Time Service

Filed under: Internet,Windows — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 5:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

One of the nice things about having an Internet connection is that you can synchronize your computer clock so it is always perfectly on time. Because it is a continuous synchronization you don’t have to worry about having the wrong time due to a user error or a slow clock.
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How to Revert Back to Internet Explorer 7

Filed under: Internet — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 1:00 pm

by David Hakala

Q: How do I revert back to IE 7? — Peter M.

Quite a few people are asking the same question. Internet Explorer 8 was released on March 19, 2009. But many of those who downloaded it have already switched back to earlier versions of IE, or other browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, due to problems they’ve had with IE8 – not the least of which is the fact that IE8 takes up a whopping 4 gigabytes of disk space.

Fortunately, it is easy to switch back to IE 7 if that was the last browser you used before “upgrading” to IE 8. When you install a new version of Internet Explorer, the old version is preserved in case you want to go back. All of your settings, bookmarks, etc., will be preserved during the return to an older version.
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April 2, 2009

How to Tailor Your Search Queries for Better Results

Filed under: Internet — Tags: , , , , , , , — admin @ 8:00 am

by Tina Gasperson

The key to finding the information you need on the Internet is knowing how to use search engines effectively. There are ways to format your search in order to bring the most relevant results quickly.
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March 30, 2009

Should I Upgrade to IE8?

Filed under: Internet — Tags: , , , — admin @ 1:00 pm

by David Hakala

Q: Should I upgrade to IE8? – “Grampa”

Such a commendably uncluttered question deserves an equally elegant answer:

Definitely not yet, and maybe never.

Internet Explorer 8 was released on March 19, 2009. Millions of users downloaded and installed it. Many of those users have complained bitterly of a variety of problems, and switched back to earlier versions of IE or an alternative browser such as Mozilla Firefox. By March 22, 2.59 percent of Web browsers were using IE8. The very next day, IE8’s market share plummeted to 1.86 per cent. As Eddie Murphy once said, “That’s a hint and a half for your a__!”
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March 29, 2009

Deleting Persistent Hidden Internet Files or Cookies

Filed under: Internet,privacy & security — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 1:00 pm

by David Hakala

Q: “Is it possible to delete persistent Internet files (hidden files) from Windows and if so how can I do this without much cost?” — Ahmed

I am going to assume that Ahmed is referring to persistent cookies. Other types of files hidden by Windows are hidden for a reason: Deleting them can play havoc with your computer. But cookies can be deleted safely, easily, and with no cost at all. Cookies are “hidden” only in the sense that they are buried in obscure subfolders and named cryptically.
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March 28, 2009

How Can I Make Sure Only Certain People See My Twitter and Facebook Information?

Filed under: Internet,privacy & security,social networking — Tags: , , , — admin @ 5:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

Social networking is fun, but you have to be careful about monitoring your privacy in online communities and behaving accordingly. Otherwise the whole world might see you with the cyber-equivalent of a lampshade on your head at the company Christmas party. Either watch what you type, or make sure your privacy settings are set to prevent anyone you don’t want nosing in your personal business from doing so.
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March 27, 2009

How Can I Keep My Network Router Secure and Problem Free?

Filed under: computer hardware,Internet,privacy & security — Tags: , , — admin @ 8:00 am

by Gabe Goldberg

You’re probably tired of hearing about keeping your operating system, applications, and assorted safety software programs (anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-rootkit, anti-phishing, anti-vampire, whatever) updated. Not to mention being really tired of actually doing all this work. After all, you bought your computer to use, not to tinker with. And if you support multiple computers, it seems that your work is never done.
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