Print a Giant Poster...on separate sheets taped together...

Yes, it's logical. But, until you know a few tricks, this can be extremely frustrating to try to get "just right."

http://www.blockposters.com/step1.aspx

has one approach.

How to buy a digital camera

This guide really can help you make a good purchase for the holidays!

http://www.techhive.com/article/125645/camerabuyingguide.html

How to Print from your Mobile Phone or Tablet..anywhere!

This article explains your options for printing from your smart phone, tablet, or laptop even without "connecting wires." I know- sounds like magic!

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2013475/how-to-print-anything-from-anywhere-your-ultimate-guide-to-mobile-printing.html

Protect your Online Privacy

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-protect-your-online-privacy.htm

Tech Support provides some great information about staying safe online!

Also try: http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-stay-safe-while-online.htm-0
How to stay safe while online.

I have no clue what that means...

I was talking with someone who just got a new "smart phone"... you know, one of those phones that is really a computer. She said "I hate that it's called a smart phone- it makes me feel dumb!"

Here is a helpful vocabulary list you can use to learn some of the terminology. If you like it, you might want to sign up for the free emails from Worldstart.com.

http://www.worldstart.com/smartphone-tech-explained-simply/

Can your upgrade to Windows 8?

Worldstart Computers offers some easier to understand advice at:

http://www.worldstart.com/how-can-you-tell-if-your-pc-supports-windows-8/print/

There are links to articles and a list of requirements for your machine.

Better Passwords

How to create passwords that annoy the heck out of hackers...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/08/technology/personaltech/how-to-devise-passwords-that-drive-hackers-away.html?src=me&ref=general

Wikipedia is great, but...

You probably know about Wikipedia (you can find the English version at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page, or multiple languages at www.wikipedia.org)

Wikipedia is a reference website, edited by volunteers from around the world.  Many of the volunteers are experts in their field.

If you like using Wikipedia, you might also like being able to compile a bunch of articles of your choice into a booklet that can be read on Kindle, Nook, your computer when it is offline, or even your smart phone. Here's a link that explains this process. It's quite easy!

http://lifehacker.com/5944128/create-ebooks-from-wikipedia-articles-for-on-the-go-reading-anywhere

Ways to Increase Online Privacy

Here's a huge list of tools to increase privacy while you're online. Some recommendations are easy; others are a bit more "techie". Remember, though, in truth, you can never ever be totally private or anonymous. There's a record "out there".

http://epic.org/privacy/tools.html

What to do if your email gets hacked

Here are seven things to do, as recommended by PC Pitstop:

http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2012/06/13/ask-leo-email-hacked-7-things-to-do-now/

Send your parents ....

tech support!

This was kind of funny, actually!

http://www.teachparentstech.org/

Radio on the Internet

Yes, indeed!
There's a lot of music (and talk show) radio available for free using a technology called "streaming."

There are several ways to "stream" music (bring it into your ears via internet). Here's one that doesn't require downloading anything. It just requires speakers or headphones.

http://radiotuna.com/

AOL (America Online) also has one that's free and easy to use: http://music.aol.com/radioguide/bb

Would you like more? Try entering "online radio" into your favorite search engine.

Recycleable Personal Organizer

Some of us like to use our computer to keep track of our "to do" lists. Some of us carry around a purse load or pocket full of random scraps of paper.

And, some of us have fallen in love with POCKET MOD!

http://repocketmod.com/

The PocketMod is a new way to keep yourself organized. .... Nothing beats a folded up piece of paper. That is until now. With the PocketMod, you can carry around the days notes, keep them organized in any way you wish, .....

The PocketMod is a small book with guides on each page. These guides or templates, combined with a unique folding style, enable a normal piece of paper to become the ultimate note card. It is hard to describe just how incredibly useful the PocketMod is. It's best that you just dive in and create one. http://repocketmod.com/

Your Most Vulnerable Accounts?

http://bit.ly/N5Omzl

Pay bills on line? Banking on line? Order stuff online? Good for you!

BUT, you want to also be aware of how to protect yourself using a system called "two-factor authentication." Check out the details in the link above to find out ...".... Everywhere You Should Enable Two-Factor Authentication Right Now"

Monster List: Free Security Software

http://bit.ly/OGEdpc

This huge list of free computer security products and services has been compiled over several years and is continuously updated. At a minimum, check it to make sure YOUR free security software is listed. And, at a maximum, take a peek at the details and learn what else might fit you better. 

Become a Power Searcher

Here are some free courses by Google to help you learn several tricks with Google search so you can find what you want faster and better.

The courses are, of course, free! http://www.powersearchingwithgoogle.com/course

Untangle those Earbuds!

One of my all-time favorite sites for creative ideas is called "Instructables."

People post step-by-step "how to" instructions for ...almost anything.
I came across this clever way to use a tape dispenser to avoid the tangles so typical of using ear-buds.

http://www.instructables.com/id/EASY-headphone-storage-hacks/

Take a look at the other ideas there too!

Do you have a Kindle?

Or, do you use the free Kindle application on your computer or smart phone?

Here's a source for literally thousands of free Kindle books:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/free-books-kindle

Have fun reading!

A good reason to have a second email address

... or a third.

I use a separate email address for when I register new products, enter contests, or sign petitions. This allows me to manage my inbox clutter in my main email account and reduce the amount of spam considerably! About once a week, I log in to my other accounts and quickly check to see what, if anything, is important. Works great!

Yahoo has free email; so does Gmail. And, there are many others as well.

What is RSS and how can it help me?

You probably have a whole bunch of favorite websites that you like to keep up on. Some of them may offer email newsletters but after a while, you may realize your inbox is cluttered with lots of newsletters. If there's no newsletter, well, it can be a pain to visit every website to see what's been updated. What if there was an easy way to have the website tell YOU what's changed? Well, there is!

You can sign up for ("subscribe") a free "feed" from a website. It's fast, anonymous, and totally under your control. Once you are signed up, you can go to one single location on the internet and skim or read all your "feeds" in one place. You don't have to deal with spam, and you are under no obligation to read anything- you can pick and choose, read at your own pace, or even ignore feeds.

How do you read the "feed"? There are several ways. I like to use Google's Reader, because I can get it on any web browser and on my smart phone. But there are many other ways to do it. Here are some links, and I'll also highlight a few in articles in the weeks ahead.

Intro to Web Feeds: http://cybercoyote.org/news/feed-intro.shtml

Best Feed Readers: http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-rss-reader-aggregator.htm

Is your email box a file cabinet?

This might be a really bad idea. Find out more with this article, which also explains how to manage an overflowing email box.

http://unclutterer.com/2012/05/31/your-email-inbox-is-not-a-filing-cabinet/

Get Real Money for Old Electronics

I came across these two sites that allow you to exchange old/un-needed laptops, phones, etc. for real money. I am sure there are more.

Amazon trade in (gives you credit on Amazon.com): here

Cash for Laptops is for... laptops, obviously. Here

Make it a PDF

Portable document format (PDF) files can be opened by almost all computer users. They generally can't be edited, which makes them good for newsletters, etc. They are also often smaller in size (amount of data), so they are easier to send as attachments.

There are many ways to make PDFs from word processing or other files. Here are two of the easiest:

PrimoPDF is a program you install on your computer. You use the print command to create a PDF of almost any document. http://download.cnet.com/PrimoPDF/3000-18497_4-10264577.html has a review and a free download link. I use this one all the time.

PDFOnline is an online service that converts documents to PDF for free, and then emails them back to you. I use it when I am on a library computer and have the pdf sent to my own (or someone elses) email address. http://www.pdfonline.com/convert-pdf/

Make your own E-Card

You can use a picture you've taken yourself and saved on your computer to create an electronic postcard or E-card for free! This site features making e-cards with your own dog's photo, but hey, you can use any photo and it still works. Then, you can email the ecard to a friend for a special occasion, or just for fun!


http://www.dogbreedz.com/dogecards/PersonalEcard.cfm

"I can't open your attachment- please resend"

When we send email attachments, we sometimes receive a note back asking us to resend it because the recipient could not open it. Rather than just resend it, consider that the file you sent may not match the programs on your friend's machine. What can you do?

1. Save your MS Word file as a PDF ("portable document format") making it able to be opened on most machines. Choose SAVE AS>> PDF. This works on Word 2007 and other word processing programs as well.

2. Understand the difference between Word 2007 files and Word 2003 files. Read this article- it gives you two solutions: http://ask-leo.com/whats_a_docx_file_and_how_did_i_get_one.html

3. Sometimes the easiest thing to do, if the message is not a long one, is simply to COPY/PASTE it directly into your email message rather than send it as an attachment.

What to do if your email gets "hacked"

Thanks to "Ask Leo" website for this excellent summary!

http://ask-leo.com/email_hacked_7_things_you_need_to_do_now.html

800 Front Page News from 85 countries...

That's right. With one easy website, you can read front page news each day from over 800 newspapers from 85 countries. You can also view archived pages. It's...amazing.

It's from Newseum. Flash (a free download) is required to view this on your computer. http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/flash/

Unplugged the WRONG PLUG!

Have you ever done that? Reached under your desk and yanked the wrong plug from your powerstrip?

Here are two simple, cheap (or even free) ways to prevent catastrophe. One is my own... and the other comes from one of my favorite do-it-yourself websites, www.lifehacker.com

Colored Tape to the Rescue: You can use colored tape, or even plain masking tape with a colored dot on it. Tape one piece to the end of your cord near the plug like a little "flag" and write a note or symbol that tells you what's at the other end. "P" for printer; M for modem, C for computer, etc. Now you know which you are pulling before the thing accidentally gets shut off!

Bread Tags as Cord Labels: Use those little plastic tags that hold your bread bags closed to label your cords. I used a fine-tip permanent marker. Here's a link

Free University Level Courses?

Indeed!

There are growing numbers of free sites and programs offering you ongoing education and access to learning from top universities.

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-best-websites-to-get-a-university-level-education-for-free/

http://www.saylor.org/about/

http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/

Organize your cables?

Yesterday, I looked under my desk because I had to unplug something. Wow...what a mess!

Here are a number of excellent, easy, FREE ways to organize your "nest" of cables. I'm using the first one already! These are all from one of my fave "do it yourself" websites, Lifehacker, so the credit really goes to them!

Binder Clips: Cable management

Shortening long cords to the right length: Shorter

Easy to Access, Easy to Use cables: Magnets!

Cord organizer for the side of your desk: Foam Rubber!

For your power strip cords: Wire basket

Geek Vocab 101

"But, I'm not a techie," said a friend as we worked on her computer. "I have no clue what all those words mean."

Here's a great summary from PC World. You can learn and use these and impress yourself with how geek-like you sound! http://tinyurl.com/6ncjmwc

Free Computer Support- get your questions answered

I've tried this one, and it works!  http://www.techguy.org/

Here's what their page says:
Welcome to Tech Support Guy!

If you're looking for free technical support, you've found it! This site is run completely by volunteers and paid for completely by donations and sponsors. There is no charge to you (although we do appreciate donations). To get started, check out the Tech Support Guy Forums. We hope you will return frequently!
"There's no such thing as a stupid question, but they're the easiest to answer!"

Take a Free Tour

What do Bryce Canyon USA, the Mariana Trench, New York City, and a castle in Germany have in common?

They are available to anyone with a pretty fast web connection (i.e. DSL or cable) and a decent computer as three-dimensional tour locations!

It's very cool. Try it at: http://www.airpano.com/

Those ADS are soooo annoying! How can I block them?

Try these browser ideas:

http://dottech.org/tipsntricks/17516/block-ads-in-firefox-internet-explorer-chrome-and-opera-how-to/

Is this file safe?

The explanation on the following link is a bit long, but it works. It's a way to test a file you have received BEFORE you open it. It allows you to make sure that the file does not contain any "bad guys."

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-tell-if-file-malicious.htm

Easy-To-Remember Techniques for Creating Strong Passwords

1. Your home zip code + your license plate number + your favorite color

2. The above in a different order.

3. The above with your pet's name(s) mixed in.

4. Take a favorite saying or first line of a song, and use the first letter of each word (My country tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing  =MctotSlolftIs)

5. Childhood phone number + mom's middle name


Of course, you can also use free services such as LastPass (which I use) to create and remember randomly generated passwords. I like LastPass www.lastpass.com
because I have collected ALL my passwords (for my computers, email accounts, website logins, phone, everything) in it...and can access it from any computer. All I have to do is remember ONE password (which I developed using one of the techniques above)...and then they are ALL there.

Check and Clean by July 1

Associated Press - Hundreds of thousands may lose Internet in July
By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — For computer users, a few mouse clicks could mean the difference between staying online and losing Internet connections this summer.

Unknown to most of them, their problem began when international hackers ran an online advertising scam to take control of infected computers around the world. In a highly unusual response, the FBI set up a safety net months ago using government computers to prevent Internet disruptions for those infected users. But that system is to be shut down.

The FBI is encouraging users to visit a website run by its security partner, http://www.dcwg.org , that will inform them whether they're infected and explain how to fix the problem. After July 9, infected users won't be able to connect to the Internet.

Finding Free, Legal Images on the Web?

Try this one!

Creative Commons Image Finder (software)

http://www.abelssoft.net/ccfinder.php

Online Shopping? Try these Firefox Add-ons

Here are some free Firefox browser add-ons that can improve your shopping experience online:

INVISIBLE HAND: This is an "add-on" for Firefox browser. It lets you know if there's a better deal on a product you are browsing or if the site you are browsing is actually showing you the lowest price. It also works when you are shopping for airline flights.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/invisiblehand/


WISHLIST: http://www.amazon.com/wishlist/universal
You've probably added items to your Amazon.com "wish list" from within Amazon. With this Firefox add-on, you can do it from ANY site. It is available for Safari, Chrome, and IE browsers, and also for the iPad.

Do you use Firefox Browser? This can make reading easier!

Here's a neat "add on" (free) that gets rid of ads and other "stuff" when you want to read JUST the article on a website.

It's called Clearly. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/clearly/

Clearly, when enabled, strips away webpage ads and other obtrusive content that surrounds downloaded articles. This read-only feature is also great for saving articles as PDFs.

Since this is an Evernote extension, Clearly includes additional features for copying selected articles to your Evernote account, as well as three types of reading formats, including small, medium and large font sizes, and a Night Owl view that changes the background of the page to black, and the font color to white.

What's a PORTABLE APP and why would I want one?

A "portable app" is an application (a piece of computer software or a program that does something) that let's you take the program from one computer to another. Instead of installing something like Office 2007 onto one computer, and then having to get another (expensive) license and install it on another computer... or instead of having a great program on your home machine but not having it on your brother-in-law's machine... you COULD be using a "portable application" right on a flash drive.

Here are some lists of portable apps from which you can pick and choose. They all include excellent application you can run from your flash drive for: word processing, video viewing, audio/music, communication, working with pictures, and more.

http://www.makeuseof.com/pages/best-portable-apps

http://www.portableapps.com

www.makeuseof.com/tag/portable-software-usb/

Keep track of your TO DO list

Do you REMEMBER THE MILK?

Ummm..what about remembering all the OTHER stuff you're supposed to remember?

• Tasks?
• Assignments?
• People to call?
• Projects?

This is a free to-do list manager that also sends you reminders via email or text message to your phone. It is available for iPad, Blackberry, Android, Macintosh, and Windows. It is also an "app" for Twitter, Google Calendar, and Gmail. It can also connect with your Outlook.

Adding tasks is easy via email, or on your computer screen or handheld.
You can also send reminders to others!

http://www.rememberthemilk.com/

Learning Office 2007?

An excellent resource for learning Office 2007 is a set of Cheat Sheets published by ComputerWorld.  Whether you’re just making the switch to 2007 or a seasoned user, you’re certain to find many useful tips and tricks.

Word 2007 Cheat Sheet

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9010482/Word_2007_Cheat_Sheet

Excel 2007 Cheat Sheet

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9028228/Excel_2007_Cheat_Sheet

PowerPoint 2007 Cheat Sheet
 

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9063119

Music and Songs on Your Computer? For FREE?

If your computer has speakers (or head phones) and an internet connection, you can use it to play music!

Here are two free services that let you listen to "streaming music" and allow you to search, develop playlists, and more.

PANDORA: http://www.pandora.com/

GROOVESHARK: http://grooveshark.com/

Five alternatives to using Powerpoint?

http://tinyurl.com/bvdltna will give you access to five great options, plus plenty of others recommended by various folks.

Do you use Microsoft Outlook?

Outlook is an email "client" that lets you manage your email from various email accounts all in one place. It is a program on your computer.

It includes a calendar, contact (address) book, and email.

There are many add-ons that can increase it's abilities even more!
Here are some: http://tinyurl.com/3xpcj3a

My computer is too slow...

I found this article, which applies to desktops as well as laptops.


http://techie-buzz.com/featured/10-ways-to-make-your-laptop-run-more-efficiently.html?rel=edfavs&utm_source=self&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=ed_favs

Best Free Software for 2012

Well, for this first quarter?

Here's the link- do you have some you'd add?


http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2381528,00.asp

Sharing those Pictures and Photos

You go on vacation or have a special event. You take photos. Now, they are on your computer. What can you do with them next?

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/best-free-online-applications-and-services.htm#Photo-Management-and-Sharing

offers free recommendations for managing and sharing digital photos online.

Do you doodle when you have to meet?

No, I mean, USE "Doodle," a very simple, free, and powerful on-line scheduling tool that lets you set up and coordinate "what date and time will work for you?" with up to dozens of people.

http://www.doodle.com/

It's very easy: You identify dates and times as possibilities, then you send a link to others who check off when they can attend.

The result is an automatic list showing what date and time works for the most people.

We use it all the time!

Working with PDFs

PDF (portable document format) files are very common as attachments. They can be used for newsletters, invoices, schedules, or other documents. PDFs are helpful because, with a free PDF reader (pre-installed on most computers, or available for free), you can open a PDF file made on any computer. You don't have to have the program that was used to create the original.

Here is a good,free, small (in disk size) PDF reader. After you install it, it will automatically be activated to open a pdf file when you double click on the file:
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/Secure_PDF_Reader/
 

Here are some additional PDF tools for those who need to make PDF files or convert them so they can be edited.


http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/best-free-online-applications-and-services.htm#PDF-Tools

Get Organized this Spring!

Sticky notes?
To-do lists?

If you are sitting at your computer a lot, why not harness its capabilities?

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/best-free-online-applications-and-services.htm#Reminder-To-Do-List  or http://tinyurl.com/7ha47v6 offers several free and tested options.

Happy Organizing!

How to clean your keyboard

Ewwww... I just read that computer keyboards have MORE GERMS THAN THE AVERAGE TOILET SEAT.

With that in mind...
http://www.pcworld.com/article/249212/how_to_clean_your_keyboard.html

Free: Convert those PDF files over to Word!

You get a PDF ("portable document format") file.
You wish you could edit it!
But, a PDF is "permanent." Or... is it??

http://www.free-pdftoword.com/ lets you convert FROM a PDF to an editable word file!

How cool is that?

Save VERSUS Save AS

Save and Save As
When you use the Save command, you save your work under it’s current file name. If you’ve never saved whatever it is you’re working on before, then you’ll get an opportunity to name it.
When you use Save As , you get a chance to save what you’re working on as a new file.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re working on a word processing document. It’s a new document and you decide to save it. A box comes up that lets you give it a name. Now, let’s say you add something to it. If you use the Save command again, it simply saves it with no questions asked under the existing file name. It replaces the prior version with this edited version.

OK, now let’s say you make a modification to the file, but you want to keep the original version as well. This is where you use Save As. When you use the Save As command, it allows you to save your current file as a new file with a new name. Now when you go to open your files, you’ll find you have both the original version and the new, Saved As version.

Lots and Lots of Clip Art- FREE!

Yes, google a word and find lots of images. But, did you know that copyright restrictions can really be an issue?

Here's a site I just found that has a lot of excellent clip-art and photo images that are "copyright free" and in the public domain. This means you can use them with no worries!

http://www.wpclipart.com/
Their site says: "WPClipart is a fast, clean and safe site for children and others to find good-quality, printable images that have no copyright restrictions. All the images are in the Public Domain. Ads on pages are minimal (one per page, also one on "related" section of display pages) to eliminate confusion and to make the site as fast as possible."

Have fun!

Instructables!

Instructables is a site where you can find, and share, tutorials on just about anything. If you want to learn something new or share what you know, this is the place to be.


www.instructables.com



Here's the site description:
"Instructables is the most popular project-sharing community on the Internet. Since August 2005, Instructables has provided easy publishing tools to enable passionate, creative people to share their most innovative projects, recipes, skills, and ideas. Instructables has over 40,000 projects covering all subjects, including crafts, art, electronics, kids, home improvement, pets, outdoors, reuse, bikes, cars, robotics, food, decorating, woodworking, costuming, games, and life in general."

Bad Guys!!

Malware is any malicious program or software that’s designed to exploit a computer user. Malware is basically an umbrella term covering computer viruses, worms, Trojan, spyware, rootkit etc. Some of ‘em attack the computer programs and files while others attack users confidential data. Let’s have a detailed look at their mode of operation.

http://www.guidingtech.com/8888/difference-between-malware-virus-rootkits-trojans-worm-spyware/ 

Do you back up your emails?

Use MailStore To Backup Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Emails

http://www.ghacks.net/2011/03/02/use-mailstore-to-backup-gmail-hotmail-yahoo-emails/

The last few years have been a little bumpy for web mail; Hotmail deleting all the email in many people's accounts (all the email was restored, but still....), Gmail freezing or locking accounts so they can't be accessed and Gmail accounts being hacked. This ghacks article describes how to backup gmail. hotmail, and Yahoo email accounts using the free program MailStore.

Mailstore runs on Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3, Microsoft Windows Vista, and Microsoft Windows 7 with Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0 SP1 or Microsoft .NET Framework Version 3.5 SP1 installed.

More on Passwords

How To Create A Strong Password And Remember It  
http://consumerist.com/2012/01/how-to-create-a-strong-password-and-remember-it.html
The Consumerist has some good suggestions for creating strong passwords that look doable for most of us. I'm probably not the only person who has used the same password in more than one place - not a good practice. =) I've since changed them. Other security recommendations are not having the same user name and changing your password often. There aren't any hard and fast recommendations on how often to change a password - I change passwords often on important sites, not as often on sites that I rarely access. I use the free online service LastPass to generate passwords - there are a lot of options you can choose - longer or shorter, use numbers, letters, special characters, etc. (note: LastPass has free and premium paid plans - last I checked the paid plan adds mobile service, otherwise it's the same as the free plan). (copied from TechSupportAlert.com feed)

Free Online Surveys

You may be familiar with "Survey  Monkey" as it's one of the widely used online survey tools that offers a free (limited, but free) version. Here's another one I just came across today:

www.obsurvey.com

Obsurvey reports are in PDF with nice colors and graphs with option to export to Excel. You can also share the reports with others (give them permissions to just see the reports on Obsurvey and not be able to edit the survey). Only cons I have seen using OBS is that it's best to use it in Firefox, Chrome has some issues with the ajax. It has pretty much all the features most commercial software has for free, with no ads or limitations of any kind. Use a Bit.ly address for the survey instead of the long OBS address and you are good to go.

Read Novels and Other Books by Email!

Why, you ask?
Well, some of us don't have time to read an entire book... but DO have time to read for five minutes.

And, that is exactly how this works.

DailyLit.com : Great stories and knowledge in under 5 minutes a day.

Read books online: get short installments by daily email (or RSS feed).

Over 800 books are free. I'm reading a suspense novel right now called "Paranoia" by Joseph Finder. I just recommended a classic to a friend. It's easy to sign up. You can register (free) and get some additional benefits. Or just enter your email address and start getting the installments.

How to Cut your Paper Costs in HALF!

Well, probably in half.

Use the back side of each page. You can:
1. Use the "DUPLEX" feature of your printer if it has one. This allows a print job to be printed on both sides of a page. This also helps with postage costs.

2. Many printers don't allow duplex printing. But, often what we print ends up being un-needed after a while. Why not:

> Put a box beside your desk or printer.
> Each time you have a piece of paper that is no longer needed, consider if the blank side can be used.
> Consider what is already on the front side of the paper- obviously, you are not going to want to re-use paper with confidential information on it!
> Place the paper in the box with the "clean" side up.
> After you have enough paper, you can place this stack in your printer's feed tray.

WORKS BEST: paper with basic coverage (not a lot of graphics) and paper with no bends, tears, or staples.


What do you do with the paper once BOTH sides have been used? Hopefully, your office and home have a way to recycle it so it does not end up in landfills!

Using the Middle Mouse Button

Does your mouse have a button or a "scroll wheel" in between your "right click" and your "left click" buttons?

You can use that button (or click on the scroll wheel) as a nifty shortcut to open a link (underlined in blue on a website)! The link will open in a new "tab" on your browser.

Click the link with your middle mouse button (or click with the scroll wheel by pressing down on it).

Cloudy?

"In the cloud"

What's that?

What is cloud computing? Why should you know about it? Why should you care?

http://computer.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing

Find out more about: storage "in the cloud," security, "cloud computing", and "cloud music!"
Really- it's quite interesting! And, many feel it IS the future of home and business computing, even if it is not yet your present!

This one is kind of cool for us non-design people...

Yes, some people are born with the "artist" or "graphics design" gene. They are also the people who can automatically match their blouse with their skirt, or using odds-and-ends, redecorate their living room in twenty minutes with items from Goodwill.

I'm not them.

But, I did find this nifty free website to for "do it yourself logos!"
http://www1.flamingtext.com/

See, even we non-artists sometimes like to have a nice logo, button, or schnazzy add-on to our emails!

Top Internet Scams in 2011!

Yes, indeed! You can take a look at what was new in 2011..and what were repeats.

Send money to London? Nigeria? Or??
Send your password by email to a bank?
Send personal info and get a free iPad?

It's all here! Oh, how sneaky these Bad Guys are!


http://consumerist.com/2012/02/report-lists-the-top-scams-of-2011-somehow-nigerian-email-tricksters-werent-the-worst.html

Mashed Potatoes? NO- mashups!

A "mashup" is a mashup is a web site or application that uses and combines data, presentation or functionality from two or more sources to create new services.It "mashes" them together and aggregates them for you so you get extra functionality.

Here are several mashups you might want to browse!

ITUNES TOOLBOX: 30+ Tools For iTunes
COLLEGE TOOLBOX: 60+ Tools For Back To School
ONLINE PRESENTATIONS: 30+ Presentation & Slideshow Services
GMAIL TOOLBOX: 60+ Tools For Gmail
INSTANT MESSAGING TOOLBOX: 90+ IM Tools
Facebook Powertools: 150+ Apps, Scripts and Add-ons for Facebook
ONLINE STORAGE: 80+ File Hosting and Sharing Sites

Keyboard Shortcuts: Internet Explorer

Back in the old days, before the mouse was invented (yes, there WAS such a time in computer history!), everything was done by the keyboard. Some folks still appreciate and use "keyboard shortcuts" to do things. The list below applies to Internet Explorer browser. Where you see + it means you HOLD the first key down and TAP the second key.

F1 – Help.
F3 – Toggle on/off search panel.
F4 – Pull down address bar.
F5 – Refresh current page.
F6 -Move focus to address bar.
F11 – Toggle on/off full-screen mode
Alt + (Left Arrow) – Go back on history (same as Backspace).
Alt + (Right Arrow) – Go forward on history.
Ctrl + A – Select All.
Ctrl + C – Copy Selected.
Ctrl + E – Search panel.
Ctrl + F – Find (on page).
Ctrl + H – Toggle History panel.
Ctrl + I – Toggle Favorites panel.
Ctrl + L – Open a File.
Ctrl + N – Open New browser window.
Ctrl + P – Print current page.
Ctrl + R – Refresh. Same as F5.
Esc – Stop (while page is loading).
Ctrl + D – Add the current page to Favorites.
Double-click (on a word) – Select the word.
Triple-click (on a word) – Select entire line.
Wheel click – Activate the Smooth scrolling
Hold Ctrl + Scroll Wheel forward – Increase font size
Hold Ctrl + Scroll Wheel backward – Decrease font size
Click one point then hold down Shift and then click another – Create a selection from the two points

Online Collaboration and Community Note Taking!

I just experienced this at a conference I participated in. It allowed all who were logged in to add to the notes in real time. Very cool!

http://qikpad.co.uk/

Just for fun?

Have you ever wanted to insult someone like Shakespeare did?

Oh...ok... not.

But, how could I pass up posting this interested website? After all, what good is the internet if we can't periodically wonder about the things people find time to post on it?

http://www.pangloss.com/seidel/shake_rule.html

Now that you know this... please try to be nice?

Now, what the heck was that password??

It used to drive me crazy. I know that "strong passwords" should have a lot of random letters, be hard for someone to guess, and not be my gerbil's maiden name... but how in the world could I keep track of them all? I mean... work account, emails, websites, Amazon... whew!

Then I tried FREE LastPass. It's fast. Easy. Safe. And, it helps. There's a version for 64-bit machines (Win 7 machines with more than 4G of RAM are generally "64-bit". All Win computers can run 32 bit version. There are also versions for Mac, Symbian, Linux, Blackberry, Android, and more!

https://lastpass.com/

Surfing the Best of the Best from 2011?

Here's an article on the 100 best websites from 2011....


http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2397663,00.asp?ipmat=250054&ipmtype=3

There's enough here to keep you from your real work for hours and hours and hours!

Don't say I didn't warn you!

"Undo" helps with those "oops!" opportunities

I don’t know about you, but I tend to go through my e-mail messages and then “sort” them. You know, delete it or move it to some folder or another.

When moving messages, I simply drag and drop them into their new location using the folder list. This works perfectly well in Outlook and Outlook Express, as well as with many other email programs.

The problem is that I inevitably drop some into the wrong location.

Usually I realize it right away, but still have to figure out where in the world I "dropped" it, then navigate to a different folder, actually find the message(s) and then put them where they belong.



But wait!

It turns out that I don’t actually have to do all of that in MS Outlook and many other programs.
Unknown to many people, the Undo command works on more than just editing changes.

Next time you find that you’ve dropped in the wrong location simply use Undo. You can use the Undo button; the Edit menu's Undo or, the short cut: Ctrl + Z.

Whatever way you do your undo, you’ll find that the messages you just moved are back where you got them from, just like the whole thing never happened.

Now, if only I could figure out how to do this when trying to cook....

How to Make Your Text Size Easier to See

http://www.techsupportalert.com/content/how-make-your-computer-screen-easier-see.htm

CONTROLing Short cuts!

Did you know you can use a variety of "short cuts" to make common tasks (like copying and pasting, for example) faster and easier than fiddling with your mouse?


Here's a link to an article. The ^ symbol they use means "hold down the CTRL key and tap the other key."  So, in the article, if they say ^S  they mean "hold down the CTRL and tap the S key".


Some folks hate short cuts. Some love them. Most of us find a few favorites and would love to learn a few more. Here's the place!


http://www.techsupportalert.com/the_three_most_underutilized_keyboard_shortcuts.htm

Free service helps you remember!

Keeping your email inbox organized is a tall task, but it's one made easier with Followupthen.com. This free service sends you email reminders at times you determine so that email messages and tasks that need attention don't get lost in an overcrowded inbox.

This website has a good explanation: http://tinyurl.com/7j7rkmu 

And, if you prefer having this service send you a text message (instead of an email) to remind you, you can simply a) get text messaging on your phone, b) find out what email address your carrier uses (for example, Verizon uses the format: YOURCELLNUMBER@vtext.com  ) and set Followupthen.com to send an email there when you need it.

This is (of course!) a fictional story....

I got a call on my cell phone the other night. The caller said that they wanted me to call a toll free number in order to register my cell phone for a "no call list" so that I would not be bothered by calls from telemarketers. The caller gave me an 888 number.

Should I call it?

Well... this could be legit..  but it probably is not. Here's why:

1. If someone calls or emails YOU "out of the blue" and you did not request that info, and they send you to a website or phone number to share your personal information (name, phone number, address, etc.)... they are doing what is called  "phishing"- trying to get you to innocently provide information they can then use to do something nefarious (like, steal your ID...).

2. Sometimes they will say "well, to prove I am legitimate, here, you can call my boss...."  What they don't tell you is that their "boss" is in on the scam.

What should you do?

Be astute.

• If someone solicits YOU for ANY reason, fishing for personal information, consider it a likely scam.
• If they offer you a web site, email, or phone number to contact to "prove" they are legitimate, consider it part of a likely scam.
• If you think you really DO maybe want or need the service they are offering, get the name of their company. Check with the Better Business Bureau. Determine if the company or organization is legitimate and then CALL THAT NUMBER (not the one the caller gave you) and say "I received a call from so-and-so saying he was from your organization. It was an unsolicited call. Was it legitimate?"

Now- to the issue of "DO NOT CALL" lists. 

Yes, there are "DNC" lists. They are both STATE LEVEL and NATIONAL.

• To find your legitimate DNC list and register your home or cell phone, simply google "YOUR STATE do not call list" and you will be able to sign up very easily online. In Wisconsin, it is https://nocall.wisconsin.gov

• To register on the National Do Not Call list, go to: https://www.donotcall.gov/ 

Interestingly, look at what is posted in red on the website of the National Do No Call list:

Scammers have been making phone calls claiming to represent the National Do Not Call Registry. The calls claim to provide an opportunity to sign up for the Registry. These calls are not coming from the Registry or the Federal Trade Commission, and you should not respond to these calls. To add your number to the Registry you can call 888-382-1222 from the phone you wish to register, or go click on “Register a Phone Number” in the left column of this page.

Online Safety Tips and Resources

http://www.wiredsafety.org/
Check out this site for a multi-faceted collection of information on being safe online, staying safe online and what to do if... online.

Community Drawing?

What is a "SHARED WHITEBOARD"?

Well, picture a whiteboard- you know, those white smooth shiny surfaces you can easily write and erase with those special smelly markers? You'd find them in meeting rooms, classrooms, offices, kitchens, and on doors.

Well, now you can find them (free) online- and they are designed specifically for you to collaboratively share sketches, artwork, drawings, diagrams, or freehand notes!

Thanks to one of our dedicated readers, here are three options. Each allows you to invite others "in" to your whiteboard writing/drawing, or to share it with others after it is complete.


Awwapp (no ads, no chat, just draw): http://awwapp.com/draw.html

DrawitLive: http://demo.drawitlive.com/
(no ads, has integrated chat so you can type back and forth as you collaborate)

Flockdraw: http://flockdraw.com/
(ad supported, has integrated chat so you can type back and forth as you collaborate)

KEEP THE SUGGESTIONS COMING- there's TONS of interesting things "out there" we can share!

What's the weather?

Look out YoWindow!

Yes, that's a free program that is pretty robust. You can tell it two different places to track the weather, and it will put a picture on your computer screen (screen saver or "wallpaper") to show it in real-time. It will also give you a three day forecast. And, for many cities, you can even configure it to give you a live feed of video showing the weather... right on your desktop.

What a deal! http://www.worldstart.com/yowindow/ is where you can read a review and follow the links to download it. Now, of course, if your desk is actually NEXT TO a REAL window..... this might just be a tad less necessary.

FUNKY!!

Be Funky     http://www.befunky.com/


I have to admit,  sites like this can be great time wasters! So… no playing with this while you should be working, or I will get in trouble with the boss!

At Be Funky you can completely change your photos with on click, and with all sorts of wild effects!

To begin, click the Get Started Free button at the top of the page. Next, you’ll click Upload and choose where you want to get your image from. The image will load, and then you can use any of the image effects on the right side of the page (if you click the title they’ll open up and you can see the different options you have) the ones marked Plus cost extra money – skip those.

You also have options along the top menu: Smart Enhancements, Adjustments, Goodies, and Text Editor! So don’t forget to play with those options as well.

When you’re all done, you can Save, Print, or Share your image. To Save, you can chose where you want to save it. Print gives you the option of making a product or printing your image out. Share lets you share the image you’ve made over a social networking site.

Have fun with this one!

BUT, don’t get anyone in trouble, okay??