Woo Hoo…new feature in Microsoft Office 2007...

I ran into a strange problem today with a client using Windows XP and Outlook Express. They had to install a new copy of Office 2007 because they lost their certificate of authenticity for their old copy (don't lose those folks). Subsequently, their spell checker in Outlook Express now only uses the French dictionary. Thanks Microsoft!! Once again, fabulous upgrade to the "new" Office 2007. After some...

AOL and Vista

Two of my favorite whipping horses, but today I want to provide some information to help AOL users who might be moving to Windows Vista. I discovered today that a standard AOL disk will NOT work in Windows Vista. Most disks available at your local retailers or that you may have received via US Mail were minted in 2005 or earlier. That was the last time a major revision of AOL was released. Unfortunately, this version is not...

Photoshop Elements 5

Adobe Photoshop Elements is the standard photo editing software for consumers and many professionals. The latest edition offers many new features, but are those features worth upgrading from previous versions of the program? First, there is no upgrade version but since the program can easily be found online for under $70, it won't hurt too bad if you do want to upgrade. Photoshop Elements has been a solid program since...

Ubuntu Linux!!!

Last week I installed Windows Vista on my fine running XP machine (less than six months old) and have been tolerating it since then and learning about its quirks and features. I have actually been using Vista since September and besides the integrated search (which can be added to XP through multiple channels for free), I honestly do not understand what the heck Microsoft did for nearly six years between operating systems....

Wow! Is Microsoft worried or what?

Is it me, or is Microsoft pummeling the TV, Radio, and of course the online advertising arenas? Almost anywhere I look, Windows Vista ads poke me in the eyes. Could it be because of the nearly 150+ customer visits I have made since Vista came out, only two of them were using Vista? Could it be because users are perfectly content with Windows XP and don't see (rightly) the need to upgrade to Vista? Could it be that the...

The solution to Palm’s unclear future

Of course no one at Palm is going to hear me but I have the cure for the problems at Palm. This week Palm Inc. announced record sales for the Treo Smartphone but they also announced terrible earnings. At least once quarter there is a rumor that someone is going to acquire Palm in one way or another. The problem is that Palm has the best product of its kind on the market. The Palm Treo is a near perfect device. Whether you use...

Rethinking “old” computers

With Vista now being the only main stream choice for a new computer, I have stared to develop a new strategy to look at "old" computers. Computer users who have late model Windows 98 machines (bought in 1999-2000), they might be able to get a few more years out of their systems and get a more updated operating system by switching to a Linux based system. I plan on doing some testing over the next few months of...

Is it not ok anymore to be content with what we ha...

I have had Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007 sitting on my desk for more than three weeks now. I spent nearly $300 buying the stupid products so that I can install them on my machine, but I haven't. It's not because I haven't had time…I just have no burning desire to go through with the change yet. My Windows XP machine is running awesome, I like the configuration of my system and just don't want...

Getting the Mail Button back in IE7 – Revise...

When you upgrade to IE7 you will notice a total change in the interface. One of the big changes is a lack of menu bar and many of the old buttons. If you are in the habit of clicking on the little envelope in Internet Explorer to get into your email, you will quickly see that the little envelope is gone. Here's how to get it back: 1. Right-click on the bar where the buttons should be 2. Choose Customize Command Bar 3....

Why haven’t software companies adapted to Vi...

It is no secret that I am not a big fan of Vista, however I understand that Microsoft isn't going to move backwards so Windows users will gradually have to adapt to the new OS. While consumers can take their time making the transition to the new Windows, there is no excuse for software designers who have dragged their feet in becoming Vista compatible. Although Vista has been out on the shelf for only a couple of weeks,...

Web Appliances revisited

I wrote a number of months ago about the need for a new web appliance. A web appliance is a device that only accesses the Internet. Web TV (now MSN TV) is the only device that sort of falls in this category. What I envision (and wish I had the knowledge to build) is a flat screen monitor with built-in speakers and a cordless bluetooth connection to talk to a mouse, keyboard, and a printer. It would also have a card...

Vista upgrade workaround for clean install

Here is a link to a site demonstrating how to do a clean install of Windows Vista without having to install Windows XP first. It isn't the easiest process, but if you are confident enough and can follow the instructions, it should be a do-it-yourself project.  

Don’t confuse Updates with Scans

Many of our Castellini on Computers listeners are well versed (we hope) in the dangers of an unprotected computer. We preach constantly about the importance of keeping updated anti-virus software, anti-spyware and even firewalls on your computer. However, those not savvy to the show yet, find themselves kneed deep in computer problems often times because of one small mistake; thinking that a weekly virus scan is equivalent to...

Windows Vista: Is it worse than we thought?

I have not made any secret of the fact that I am afraid of Windows Vista. Tomorrow Vista hits shelves and I an dreading the rush of calls from people who don't read our website and newsletter. Here is a short list of what I know about Windows Vista so far. Please use the link at the bottom to email this article to anyone you know who may be considering the move to Vista who doesn't read our website and...

I’m not the only one

Windows Vista is right around the corner and I must have read three dozen articles over the past few months about Vista and its lack of power (don't even try running it on a computer older than a year and with less than 2 GB of RAM) and clunky interface (many functions have changed names, locations or both). I've been using Vista since September and cannot find any feature that excites me enough to want to recommend...