How to fix a row or column in any spreadsheet R...

I don’t use spreadsheets too often, but I do help folks learn how to use them somewhat frequently. Many long-time spreadsheet users overlook this simple technique to fix a row(s) and/or column(s). Why would you want to fix a row or column? The video demonstrates the why behind this tip quite well, but by learning to fix a row or column, you can scroll through a long spreadsheet without losing track of the row or column...

Create Labels Online – Video Tip

Adam wrote about a new web service from Avery a few years ago. It’s called Create & Print labels. Avery developed this free service so that you can create quick, clean and flexible labels. The service is free and works inside your browser. Since it is a Web 2.0 application, any computer user can use it from any computer regardless of operating system. In addition to adding many customization features like personal...

Measure the distance of your walk, run, bike with ...

I’ve been meaning to share this great tool with you for a few years and somehow kept forgetting to do so. The Gmaps Pedometer is an easy to use tool that a runner put together using Google Maps to be able to quickly map out distances on city streets. The creator did a remarkable job of preserving the simplicity of Google while marrying it with a useful set of tools for exercise folks and tourists. I didn’t mention...

7 Internet Security Tips to Save You Time & M...

I write about Internet security frequently because I see too many breaches of Internet security every single day. And by Internet security, I’m referring to keeping your computer free of spyware, fake security software and other annoying, time consuming, and expensive ailments that can strike your computer. THESE TYPES OF INFECTIONS ARE PREVENTABLE. First, I need to exempt Mac and Linux (Ubuntu) users from reading this...

The web isn’t best for everything

Visitors who stop by HelpMeRick.com with any frequency the past 4-5 years know that I’m a huge cloud computing (using applications on the web versus installing programs) junkie. Today, I was reminded of one area where desktop applications still provide a better experience than the web…card, board, and casino games. A client was frustrated with trying to play pyramid solitaire on a site that “used to...

Import photos using Picasa 3.5 – Video Tip

Picasa made some nice changes last year with the upgrade to 3.0, then 3.5. My favorite has to be the new streamlined import feature. Admittedly, the previous import wizard was a little clunky and took a few times to become comfortable. Not so with this newest version. To import photos using the newest version of Picasa, follow these steps: Click Import button in the upper left corner of Picasa Make sure the Import from box...

Email of the Week – 024

QUESTION Name:  TERRY JAMESON From:   LARKSPUR CO. OS:      Windows XP ———————- RICK, I WOULD LOVE TO USE FIREFOX, BUT IT SHUTS DOWN CONSTANTLY. THE INFAMOUS BOX COMES UP AND STATES THAT IT HAS “ECOUNTERED A PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO SHUT DOWN.” I HAVE TRIED TO UPDATE IT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM. ANSWER Normally, I don’t read or answer...

Slow computer or slow Internet?

A common problem I hear throughout my week is “My computer is slow.” I finally learned to ask, “Is your computer slow, or is your Internet slow?” The computer user usually pauses, thinks and often responds that it is his or her Internet that is slow; not the computer. When I sit down at a client’s computer, I can quickly determine the health of a computer based on how quickly I can perform simple...

Firefox 3.0 Bookmark & History Search –...

This is a re-release of an almost 2 year old tip that you probably missed…it will save you boat loads of time!!! Firefox 3.0 was released last week after a long development period. The Mozilla folks put together an extremely good package and made genuine improvements in speed and features…a rare accomplishment in today’s software arena where programs get larger and less usable. The feature I use the most, so...

New Ubuntu Software Center – Video Tip

Ubuntu released their newest version this past October. In addition to cleaning up the code and making it boot faster, look better, and run faster, I think one of the nicest additions (particularly for beginners) is the Ubuntu Software Center. This tool allows users to easily search for and install programs and utilities with just a few clicks. Prior to the Software Center, the process was much more laborious. Here are the...

How to backup photos using Picasa – Video Ti...

Lately, I have showed many people how easy, not to mention vital, it is to backup your digital photos. When a computer crashes, the first thing the computer user does is panic…unless they have a good backup routine. With photos, there is no easier, safer way to backup than using Picasa. Picasa is a free photo management utility from Google that can be used on any platform; Windows, Mac, or Ubuntu/Linux. You can read...

Watch almost any TV show on the web…for free...

If you don’t mind sitting at your desk to watch a television program you missed or just want to see it on your own time, you can do so using the web. Everyday, the number of TV watchers watching live television drops. The phenomenon is so big, it now has its own name: time shifting. Time shifting means watching a program on your own time instead of the time listed in the TV listings. The most common way to time shift...

How to transfer your iTunes library & playlis...

If you use an iPod, iTouch, or iPhone and plan on getting a new computer, you will want to read this article! OR, if you use any of these devices and want to make sure your library stays safe, you will want to read this article! Yesterday, I helped a customer setup a new Windows 7 computer and transfer email, favorites, and other data from his old Windows XP computer. Turns out that he also needed to move his iTunes library...

Track changes you make when troubleshooting

Already this week I arrived at homes and a business where the computer users described being on tech support phone calls for 12, 15, and one a whopping 22 hours!! All three users had zero resolution of their original problems and as you might imagine their problems grew by the end of the call. Then they called me. Not all phone tech support calls go quite this poorly, but it happens all too often. You can protect yourself...

Trust me, the cloud makes life easier & cheap...

Over the past few weeks, I witnessed many situations in my daily computer help rounds that would have been far less painful and costly for the computer user IF they utilized the cloud. The cloud I refer to is a broad term for using programs found on the web versus on your computer. Another commonly used term for this type of computing is Web 2.0. Here are some examples of problems I ran into recently that could have been...