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Easy Tips to Boost Computer Performance

 

External hard drive from Iomega 

Image via Wikipedia

As you use your computer, you add more files to it; you store pictures in photo books; download your favorite songs; and perhaps even keep copies of your favorite movies. All of this can start to slow down your computer’s performance. You don’t have to delete your files to help your computer operate more efficiently, though. You just need to find a new place to save large pieces of information so that they will not interfere with your operating system.

External Hard Drives

Buying an external hard drive makes it much easier for you to keep all of the files that you want. As long as you purchase a fairly large drive, you can feel free to add HD movies, family pictures, and songs. When you keep your personal entertainment on an external hard drive, you free up resources within the computer. This makes it possible for the operating system to do its job better. Instead of feeling frustrated while you sit at the machine, you will be impressed by its speed.

Eliminate Old Files

Perhaps you don’t want to spend money on an external hard drive, but you still want your operating system to work more efficiently and quickly. You can start by deleting the old files that you never use anymore. You might have listened to that Justin Timberlake album over and over again for a few weeks, but that was five years ago. Maybe it’s time to let it and the other music, movies, and pictures go.

What are some of the old files that simply don’t have any business taken up space on your computer?

Filed Under: Computers, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Surfin’ the World Wide Web

There’s just no way around it! The internet is essential in our lives these days, so why try to avoid it. There are so many great things that can be learned and accomplished online, you just need to learn where to start and how to avoid the pitfalls of the web.

First off, just know that not every website is safe to view. There are viruses galore on the internet, so don’t get out of control with your clicking. It doesn’t hurt to get a good firewall or an anti-virus program to help safeguard your computer. This is especially important when you have children online. Which leads to the next tip: teach your children about internet safety.

It’s a scary world online for children. Between predators and sites with questionable content, you really don’t want to let your child surf the web alone! You can buy software that will block out bad sites, but the main thing you need to do is just teach your children about the dangers of the internet.

Now, the internet can be just as bad for adults as well. There are millions of time wasters out there, and it’s really easy to just get sucked in. From social network sites like Twitter and Facebook to video sites like YouTube, there’s so much time thrown away online. So, be smart about it! Set yourself a time limit and stick to it. That way, you will avoid just wasting time online.  However, setting aside some time from work-related tasks can be extremely beneficial.  Take some time to visit sites like 888 ladies where you can play a variety of games and relieve some stress.

Lastly, let’s look at online shopping. It really is a wonderful thing, especially when you want to avoid the crowds around the holidays. You can get all your shopping done in one afternoon, without even getting out of your pajamas. You still need to be careful though. Not all sites are safe to use your credit card on. So, if you really want to be safe, use Paypal or a prepaid credit card to do your shopping.

Happy surfing!

Filed Under: Computers, Internet Tagged With: , ,

Bingo Tips and Tricks

Playing online games can be an entertaining and enjoyable way to spend your time. Some online games provide players with more than a winning title, but also with monetary rewards. Online bingo is a popular pastime that entertains many people because it can be played during the day or night. While bingo is mainly a game of chance, there are a few tips and tricks that you can apply to increase your odds of winning the jackpot.

Tips and Tricks

Playing bingo at respected, well-known sites, such as 888 ladies, will protect your investment and your winnings. Avoid playing games overloaded with players; overcrowded games decrease your winning chances. Playing multiple cards will increase your chances for hitting the jackpot, but be careful not to play too many at once. Trying to keep your eyes on too many different cards may cause you to miss the winning number. Some bingo websites offer gamers the opportunity to play as many cards as they desire, but this can be their downfall when attention is spread too thin. When choosing your bingo cards, don’t pick based on lucky numbers. Lucky numbers aren’t any more likely to be called than any other number.

Playing bingo during the week will increase your odds of winning, but jackpots are generally lower on weeknights. Fewer cards being played increase the likelihood yours will be a winner. If you’re losing repeatedly, take a break. Sometimes stepping away from the game and taking a breather can help you refocus. Have fun while eagerly anticipating your first bingo!

Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With: , ,

Common Internet Browsing Problem and simple solutions

Today there are a large variety of devices that surf the web. For some people the device they use does not have the fastest most current processor and surfing can bog down your computer. Here are a couple questions for you: How many windows or tabs in your web browser do you usually open at once? Do you often open multiple programs at once and try to run it all at the same time? This may be your problem.

All of us would like to have everything we want to do all open at once. Some people may have their homework open a web browser with three or twelve windows, a game, an email program, all open at the same time. And after all that, one wonders why the computer is operating so slowly.

For your computer to operate optimally it is important to only open the programs that you are actually using and that may include closing background applications. It is important that if you web browser is going slower, don’t just close it and restart it. If you have not restarted your computer lately it may be good to do a restart of your operating system. It is important to let your computer reset itself and make sure that it is accessing the information it needs properly. There is plenty going on behind what you see on your monitor. If you are merely a user and not a computer whiz, then play it safe, rather than messing with something you don’t understand. And better yet, learn more about your computer so you can make it function better for you.

Filed Under: Computers, Internet Tagged With: , ,

For Newbies; 6 Ways to Better iPhone Use

New iPhone users have no idea what they’re in for; a magical world with over 300,000 apps that can do literally anything. It’s addictive and it’s expensive, but users don’t seem to notice that. There are a plethora of games to play, apps that tell today’s horoscopes and weather, a voice-control app, and even an app that turns the speaker into a tiny fan. And, it can be used for communication, too!
It’s impossible to learn it all right away, so here’s a few tips to using an iPhone for all the newbies out there.
The first thing a newbie wants to do is get some apps. It’s really easy to do and sometimes free, but it can quickly clutter-up the home screen. Everyone has downloaded apps that they never used again, so here’s the deal; if the app isn’t used again within about 48 hours, delete it.
One of the biggest complaints is that battery life is painfully short. And, it doesn’t tell you before it runs out, unless you make it tell you. There’s a way to put a numbered percentage next to the battery icon on the home screen. Simply tap on Settings, then General, then Usage, then Turn on Battery Percentage.
The user can lessen the LCD screen’s brightness. The screen really drains a large portion of the battery life. Tap Settings, Brightness, Turn on Auto-Brightness. Also, turn off WiFi, Notifications and Location Services to save even more battery life. The battery degrades quickly too, so a new one will probably be necessary in less than a year, depending on how much one needs to charge it.
IPhone has a fragile cord. With all the technology Apple has, they still can’t make a cord worth a damn. Never pull it by the cord to unplug it, in fact, be careful with it. Many iPhone users have replaced the cord multiple times.
Filed Under: Internet, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

Online Scams are Getting Harder to Detect

The online world is not only growing, but it’s getting more dangerous. There are scams and fake viruses and all kinds of things that can do damage to someone’s system or website. Why do people do this? Nobody knows except that they like messing with people. They like saying, “I did it.” Keep the following advice in mind when using the Internet.
Fake links from financial institutions: If an email came in that asks you to check or resubmit any information concerning bank accounts, personal information like an SSN, or any information do NOT click the link provided in the email. Go directly to the site of the financial institution using a different window. A recent study shows that criminals make over 57,000 fake Internet sites PER WEEK. It’s not a bad idea to pick up the phone and call the institution to personally speak with a representative.
Don’t Say You’re Leaving Town on Twitter

Facebook and Twitter are major sources of malware. A fake will usually post a link to a video that says something like, “Is this really you?” It will say something that warrants a reaction, like, “I’m in Mexico and I need money to get home!” When clicked on, it won’t do anything suspicious and the user is unaware they’ve been hacked. Use a different way to ask the friend if they posted it. Clicking on it will open the phone or computer to a virus that tracks all the keystrokes the user makes. Keystrokes = password.
Use a firewall so most hackers are unable to get into the computer. Bank accounts, email, PayPal and other systems claim they’re safe, but the user has to do their part. Use passwords that are long sequences of numbers, letters (in upper and lower case) and symbols. Change these every six months or so.
Use more than common sense, use caution!
Filed Under: Hardware, Internet Tagged With: , , ,

New Internet Switch Won’t be Over Night

The Internet is running out of IP addresses, have you heard? They say on January 3rd of this year they sold the last two remaining blocks of Internet addresses. The limit has been reached. What to do now?
Officials could see this coming decades ago, and in the ‘90s they made another Internet system (IPv6 or version 6) that can accommodate many times the numbers of people it accommodates now. In time, people are going to have to switch over. Over to an intangible place where 340 undecillion websites can exist. An undecillion has 12 zeros behind the number. That’s a lot more than the 4.3 billion IP addresses that were made available in version 4.
Using IPv6 Can Connect Everyone to Their Devices

There are already places using IPv6 technology, but only privately and it hasn’t been public yet. The thing is, if businesses want to have a website people will see, the business will have to set up for version 6. Version 4 has been called brittle and fragile; ready to break down, so to speak. However nobody wants to go to version 6 just yet, because nobody’s there. It isn’t easy to sell space on an Internet that nobody else uses.
They might have to come kicking and screaming, but everyone will have to upgrade to version 6 soon enough. There are already smart phones and computers that have the technology, just waiting for the change to take place. But the change won’t happen overnight; it’ll be a gradual change as people slowly learn and migrate over to version 6.
Right now, there are two versions of the Internet and they both are written with different languages and the two cannot communicate, so it’s the devices that will have to manage both versions and allow users to integrate the old with the new.
The new Internet is where all 6 billion people who want to be connected to their devices can have that, but version 4 just isn’t big enough to handle everyone plus their devices.
Filed Under: Computers, Internet Tagged With: , , , ,

Search Engines: Selecting the right one for you

Internet search engines are applications that allow computer users to locate and access information stored on webpages and other sites. The various search engines have different ways to acquire the information, but they all seem to perform a few basic tasks:

  • They search the Internet to access sites based on word selection.
  • They maintain an index or list of the words they find and where they are located
  • They allow the user to look for words or word combinations found within that index

There are different types of search engines that gather information listings; crawler-based search engines, human-powered directories, and hybrid search engines.

  • Crawler-based search engines crawl or spider through the web, create their listings automatically, and then make it possible for users to search through what the engine has found. An example of a crawler-based search engine is Google.
  • Human-powered directories depend on people for its listing. How it works is that the webpage owner submits a short description to the directory for the site or webpage editors write a description for sites they review, and then the search will look for matches in the descriptions present. An example of human-powered directories includes the Open Directory.
  • Today’s search engines more commonly use a hybrid search that is a combination of crawler-based results and human-powered listings. Generally, the hybrid search engine will favor one type over the other. For example, Bing search is more likely to present human-powered listings, but it will also present crawler-based results for more ambiguous queries.

Common Search Engines

  • Google
  • Bing
  • Yahoo Search
  • AltaVista
  • Lycos
  • Live Search

Features for the differing search engines include:

  • Defaults
  • Boolean capabilities and constraints
  • Case sensitivity
  • Proximity
  • Truncation and stemming
  • Limits
  • Field searching
  • File types
  • Stop words
  • Sorting
  • Filtering

Unsure which search engine to use or the best one for users? The question really doesn’t have an answer as it is based on user preference. The only way to find out which one is right for you is try them out. Luckily, many search engines are free to users or offer free trials so there is no excuse to give them a try!

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With: ,

Finding the Best Laptop for You

Laptop computers are so common today. Not that long ago all you saw in the stores were desktop models, but things have changed. People know that they can take their laptop computer just about anywhere with them, and they can really enjoy the freedom that it gives them. Even getting on the Internet isn’t an issue, because most places have wireless options that they can use. That’s true of places like McDonalds and Starbucks, and also true of hotels that they might stay in overnight. If you want to have access to your computer and to the Internet no matter where you travel, a laptop is the way to go.

You can check your email, do your work, and even play online casino games among other fun things. That’s a great way to get to do the kinds of things you want to do even though you’re far from your home or your office. Of course, a laptop also works great when it comes to sitting around on your couch or reclining on your bed and playing around online. It’s convenient, and the best one for you is out there. If you’re looking for something to use to play online games, make sure you get one with a lot of disk space. Also, get a fast processor and a lot of memory. That way your games will load right and you can play and enjoy.

Your Internet connection has to be fast, too. You can’t ignore that. If it’s slow, you aren’t going to be able to do much with your game, and you may lose out on money (and fun) because you can’t make the kinds of bets and moves that you’d like to make. Avoid all of that by getting a fast Internet connection, and set it up to be password protected so that other people can’t get access to your information.

Filed Under: Internet, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Internet Explorer: Navigation Toolbar

Internet Explorer (IE) was developed by Microsoft as a browser designed to view an expansive range of web pages and to offer features within the operating system.  Like other browsers, IE has a navigation toolbar which makes browsing easier. The navigation toolbar contains the tools used to direct users to websites.

The buttons on the toolbar include:

Back – displayed as a back arrow with or without the word “back”. It allows the user to navigate to the previous page viewed.

Forward – displayed as a forward arrow with or without the word “forward”. It allows the user to navigate forward to the next page after navigating back.

Stop – displayed as a red circle with an “x” in the middle. When a page is taking too long to load, the page is experiencing issues, or the user opened it in error, the stop button hinders the page from loading.

Home – displayed as a picture of a house. When the user is finished with a browser search clicking on the home button will bring the user back to the default web page.

Refresh – displayed as a note with double arrows in a circle. When a page displays an error or the most current version of the webpage is not displayed, the refresh button is depressed allowing the page to reload.

Search – displayed as a globe with a magnify glass. It opens the default search for text or search page located in the address/URL field.

Print – displayed as a picture of a printer. It will print the current page displayed on screen.

Favorites – displayed as a file folder with an asterisk (*). Also known as bookmarks or hotlists, users can save previous search results or websites for future use. Clicking on the favorite button will open a list of bookmarked sites for easy retrieval.

Mail – displayed as an open envelope. It allows user the ability to open their email program to read, send, or delete messages.

Help – displayed as a circle with a question mark in the center. Clicking on the help button will allow the user to find Internet Explorer help or online support for issues. Simply click the help button, type in a question or topic, and a list display of results populate.

Filed Under: Internet Tagged With: ,
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