Virgin Mobile may not have been the first company to deliver a mobile wireless hotspot wrapped up in a tiny device called a MiFi, but it is the first to make that little piece of portable magic affordable.
WordPress delights and terrifies me. This open-source blogging platform is a wonder to use. Not easy, but easy enough, and filled with such endless possibilities. But…it’s scary as all get out, too.
There are all sorts of ways to access your email while on the road and most have distinct disadvantages. The ideal method lets you take your regular email with you: the same email program, same address, same configuration and same mail store no matter where you are. Enter portable SMTP.
Apple has just released a new version of its web browser, Safari. Apple claims it’s the fastest browser around, but then Opera makes that claim, too, and Google’s Chrome 5 is certainly a contender for the title. Whether Safari is the fastest browser is not particularly important. Each of these browsers is fast – certainly [...]
For years, Microsoft has been including a web browser known as Internet Explorer with Windows. Windows 7 shipped with version 8 of Internet Explorer, better known as IE 8. Many people settle for using Internet Explorer simply because it’s supplied with Windows, but it is by no means the best web browser available. You’ll find [...]
One of the most wildly successful attacks on the Internet ever was the Sapphire worm. When this nasty little piece of code was released onto the Net, it spread from computer to computer with extraordinary speed. During its first minute on the Net, its rate of spread doubled every 8.5 seconds. Within three minutes it [...]
The real joy in taking photos is in sharing. Whether it’s a cute snap of your daughter playing with her first set of Lego blocks or a dazzling shot of Saturn’s rings taken through a telescope-mounted camera, your photos cry out to be handed around. With your computer, you can give your prize snaps a [...]
There are plenty of web search engines, but to most of us Google is web search. The company has so successfully redefined the search market that its name has become synonymous with searching. Although most people use Google, few use it really effectively. Here’s a guide to making the most of Google. Quick searches Basic [...]
Troubleshooting communications problems can be a frustrating pastime. There are so many parts to any computer connection it’s often hard to isolate where the problem is located, let alone pin down exactly what’s wrong. The trouble could be with your hardware: modem, router, Ethernet or wireless card, the cables, or interference from other devices. It [...]
The Gmail team has been adding features to Google’s web-based email program at a gallop. A quick click of Gmail’s Settings link unveils an impressive array. By clicking the Labs tab and enabling some of Gmail’s experimental features, you’ll find yourself with even more options. There’s plenty worth exploring in the Gmail Labs, but some [...]
Two of the Kindle’s most appealing features are its wireless connection, which lets you download new books any time of the day from most places in the US, and the rapidly expanding treasure trove of ebooks available on Amazon. So it’s a sad, sad day when you switch on your Kindle’s wireless and get…nothing. No [...]
Microsoft Outlook comes with a collection of command-line switches which let you determine how the program starts. By default, Outlook opens to either your Inbox or the Outlook Today page, using a command-line that looks something like this: “C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\OUTLOOK.EXE” /recycle The /recycle at the end of that line is a switch which tells [...]
I’ve been away for a week in the wilds of Wyoming. For the trip, my suitcase was jam packed as usual, so I was delighted that instead of loading up further with a handful of books, all the reading matter I took was in my Kindle. On the road is where the Kindle really shows [...]