It didn’t take me long to understand and appreciate the simplicity and utility of an iPad. There are many tablets on the market, but only the iPad, in my opinion, offer the range of features and simplicity to warrant a purchase. Today, I came across this article that outlines the idea of making an iPad your only computing device. Over… Read More »Reading: How to make your iPad your ONLY computer – Wired Magazine
If you use a smartphone (iPhone, Android, etc) or tablet, then you have the world’s best and most convenient address book! Using your mobile devices address book to its maximum starts with making sure that you are adding all the information about a person that you might need. Consider including all or some of the following in your digital contact… Read More »How to take advantage of your smartphone’s address book – Video Tip
In the almost 14 years that I have devoted to helping computer users, I have discovered a few computing standards:
With these five basic rules established, use my basic troubleshooting tips for printers, sound, Internet (click here) and other problems BEFORE panicking and before calling tech support. You will be pleasantly surprised how either performing rule #1 above or using these guides can dig you out of a problem rather quickly.
Thanks to long time listener and web visitor, Daniel, for suggesting this week’s tip. I have been using this technique for more than ten years, but in order to learn it, you really must see it in action. Thus, it was a natural for our Video Tips, which are now almost 18 months old!
For Ubuntu and Windows users, you can quickly switch between open programs by pushing Alt+Tab on your keyboard. Macintosh users have a key called the “Command” key on their keyboards. By holding down the Command+Tab key, Mac users can switch between their open programs.
Why use the keyboard instead of your mouse? Time. I didn’t run any official tests, but I’m willing to bet that it takes at least three times longer to look at your task bar or dock (how many of you know what that is?), hunt for the application you need to switch to, then click on that program than it does to use the Alt+Tab or Command(Apple key)+Tab technique.
I know this doesn’t make much sense reading it, so click the play button on the video below and watch it in action! I show the Windows technique first, Ubuntu second, and end with the Macintosh tip. All told it’s about 2.5 minutes…2.5 minutes that WILL change your computing life. Pass this tip on to ALL of your computer buddies.
I came across the following article from HowToGeek.com last week and wanted to share it with you. It drives the point I make constantly here at HelpMeRick.com…be careful what you download, where you download, and how you install downloads. The HowToGeek site has a paid staff that puts together these articles, and they are always thorough, well illustrated and easy… Read More »Great article from HowToGeek.com about downloading & Security
Today, I am writing this blog post from a favorite coffee shop of mine in-between customer visits…using my iPad and no peripherals. Thirteen years ago when XP just came out, the computer world was elated with the new system and its capabilities. However, there was very little wifi at the time, high speed internet was still not mainstream, and laptops… Read More »Good bye Windows XP
Recently, I have been answering the question of how to restore a missing toolbar or ribbon from Microsoft Office tools like Word, Excel, or PowerPoint. This tip works for any of the Office tools 2007 or newer. Usually, the toolbar goes missing because of an errant click or keyboard combination. In the video below, I show how to restore the… Read More »How to restore the missing toolbar or ribbon in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) – Video Tip
Just a few weeks ago I shared a tip on how to use the incredibly helpful and handy Spotlight search feature on iOS. Since then, Apple updated the iOS to iOS 7 for iPads, iPhones and iPod touches and changed the access to Spotlight…this video shows how to get to it now. Spoiler: you just drag your finger down from… Read More »How to use the Spotlight Search feature on your iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad (iOS7) – Video Tip
Cloud computing definition: Using a web site (app) to perform computing functions like word processing, spreadsheets, video and image editing, financial management and more. Ten years ago we used the web as a resource to find information. For productivity work, we installed programs that lived on our computers as did the data. If we had extra computers or needed to… Read More »Cloud computing – Ubiquitous, Powerful, and mostly free!
One of my daily visits brought me to a growing business today. As I waited to work on one of the employee's computers, I noticed that she spent a good 10-15 seconds scrolling through a medium size spreadsheet looking for a particular entry. I then asked if I could give her a quick tip on how to search through her spreadsheet faster using Ctrl+F on her keyboard. She said, "sure".
When you push Ctrl+F in a spreadsheet, a "Find" window appears. Type part or all of a word that you are looking for (or numeral) and press Enter and BAM the entry appears instantly. The tip is quick, accurate, and extremely helpful.