Internet Tips

5 Simple Rules to avoid SCD (Slow Computer Disease)

photo credit: jennconspiracy

I’ve written about this before, but it bares repeating on occasion for new visitors to the site and long time visitors who haven’t learned yet. The advice is simple:

Do not download free screensavers, wallpaper, email programs (Incredimail, etc), or games from the Internet.

Unless you are WELL versed in the origin of these items, they can easily destroy your computer’s ability to compute.

“Slow computer” is the most common computer ailment Windows users search for on the web. Sadly, slow computer disease (SCD*), does not have to be the pandemic it is because it is 100% preventable.

Here are my 5 simple rules to prevent SCD for Windows users: Continue reading →

Application Tips / Internet Tips — 12 Comments
7
Nov 09

How to download, install & configure AVG Free 9.0 – Video Tip

AVG released version 9 of their free antivirus/antispyware product a couple of weeks ago. You may have started to see notifications from them that you need to update before December 1. Typically, they provide a deadline, but previous versions work for a number of months after the deadline.

After using the new version for awhile, it appears they did make it faster and improve the scanning speeds as well.

If you currently use a previous version of AVG, there is no need to uninstall the old version before proceeding with this one. The installation process will simply upgrade your old version.

If, however, you currently use any other antivirus product, you need to uninstall it before proceeding with this installation.

Here’s how to complete the installation: Continue reading →

Internet Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 12 Comments
6
Nov 09

7 Google services you have never tried

Google Sign Google started as a college project 12 years ago, then as a startup search engine just 10 years ago. Today, Google owns more than 60% of all web search traffic and employs close to 22,000 employees worldwide.

You probably interact with Google via their search engine primarily. However, you are missing out on some truly great services that Google also provides in addition to their fast and accurate search engine.

In this article, I will share 7 of the many other services Google provides.

Google News

When you arrive at google.com, click the link that says News at the top of the page or you can directly visit news.google.com. Google News is an auto-generated news page that refreshes automatically every 5-10 minutes and displays headlines from more than 4500 news sources around the world. To me, it is the ultimate newspaper?unbiased and unfiltered. And even more helpful, starting a Continue reading →

Internet Tips / Riding Shotgun with Rick — 11 Comments
4
Nov 09

Troubleshooting Your High Speed Internet Connection

photo credit: geo462rge

This tip needs to come back to the front page again. I’ve helped many more people the last few weeks with this issue.

Please print it and hang it by your computer…and send it your friends as well.

I posted this tip many moons ago, but wanted to bring it back to the front page because we have so many new high speed Internet users. Click the Printer Friendly option at the bottom of this tip, print it out and post it next to your computer…you will be glad you did.

Routers take high speed Internet signals and then distribute the signal (route) to multiple computers. Sometimes, however, the signal gets lost and an Internet connection cannot be made. This can be due to multiple reasons, but most can be rectified the same way. Before you reach for the phone or grumble under your breath, follow this simple and highly effective procedure to get your system(s) up and running again.

Shut off Continue reading →

Internet Tips — 4 Comments
1
Nov 09

How to create a customized Google Map – Video Tip

After I created an interactive, customized map showing all of the wifi hotspots in Grand Junction, CO, many folks asked my how I did it. Since it is such a visual process, I put together this short instructional video to show you how you can create your own customized Google Map.

Application Tips / Internet Tips — 4 Comments
23
Oct 09

Password Mania

photo credit: Mirko Macari

We are bringing this tip out of the archives because remembering passwords and having strong passwords is more important than ever with increased identity theft and the increased amount of business we conduct over the web.

I have accumulated nearly ninety user names and passwords for various email services, web sites, banking sites, etc. Without my password tracking software, I wouldn’t be able to remember them all or, I would be using the same user name and password for every instance (an extremely dangerous practice). You can use software solutions to securely save passwords on your computer or Continue reading →

Internet Tips — 6 Comments
22
Oct 09

Protect Your Identity

photo credit: CarbonNYC

Identity theft is becoming an enormous problem in the United States and worldwide. Identity theft involves the misuse of your personal information to fraudulently purchase goods, services or open accounts to purchase good and services.

According to a FTC report, identity theft cost victims, businesses and financial institutions $500 billion in 2003. The average victim spent more than 75 hours cleaning up their name and accounts at an average loss of more than $11,000.

Contrary to popular opinion, most identity theft results from stolen mail, stolen wallets or purses, trash rummaging or the victim falling prey to a scam, not online shopping. In fact online shopping with reputable dealers is safer, in many respects, than shopping in your own city. Of course, most retailers operate safe businesses and have reputable employees, but the ever increasing reality is that we must be careful with our personal information.

Follow these guidelines to help Continue reading →