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Rick

AOL is FREE! Stop paying for it!!

A few months ago AOL changed their business model completely.

AOL has never been a real Internet provider. They are an advertising company that charges subscribers to see their ads.

With the spread of broadband Internet and wiser consumers, AOL has finally realized that people don't like paying $25/mo. to see strategically placed ads and a cluttered interface.

If you are paying for AOL, I am not going to try to convince you that you need to cancel or leave the service.

I will let you know though that AOL has changed their business model and their service is now FREE for broadband users and $9.99/mo. for dial-up users.

A word for our Dial-up readers (and our high speed Internet emailers)

Lately, I have helped many dial-up computer users get their email unclogged. It became clogged because their friends and family who have high speed Internet sent them messages that were way too big for email. Usually these messages contained either large digital photos or video jokes or messages that bring dial-up users email to screeching halt. 

DIAL-UP USERS:

  • You absolutely need to know how to check your email using your web browser (this tip explains how ).
  • When email stops coming in or you see messages repeating themselves, it is time to check your email as above and then delete any messages that are larger than 500 kilobytes (kb). This will allow your email to flow again into your email program
  • Inform the offending parties that send these overly large messages that your system can't handle the volume and to please remove you from their forward lists.

HIGH SPEED USERS:

Never assume it’s your problem

I think we have talked about this before, but it bears repeating. When your Internet connection stops working suddenly or seems to be acting strange, don't immediately assume it is a problem on your end. Often times it is not a problem with your system at all. If this happens to you, follow these steps instead:

  1. Turn off your computer (and high speed modems and routers if you have a high speed connection)
  2. Wait about two or three minutes then plug everything back in and try your connection again.
  3. Do not fiddle with any settings if you didn't change anything before the problem. 
  4. If you still don't have Internet access, wait about an hour or two then try again.
  5. If you still don't have a connection, then it is time to call your provider and report the problem. IF you haven't changed any settings on your end, don't let the tech support people talk you into changing anything. Remember, your connection was perfect a little earlier. 

For high speed Internet connections, read our tip for troubleshooting your connection for more information.  

Second Tier Support

I bought a Logitech Harmony 880 universal remote last March for our rec room. Since I have five devices and five remotes that control those devices, this remote promised to replace all those various remotes. You know the ads…it's as easy as 1, 2, 3. Well, six months later and many hours of fiddling, I still can't get the remote to do everything it is supposed to do. Today I threw in the towel and called Logitech tech support. Luckily, I only had to listen to two sets of instructions to push certain numerals on my phone to reach the desired service. I then sat on hold for about 15 minutes and talked with a very nice gentleman for over 40 minutes. At the end of the conversation, he told me that my case would have to be "elevated to second tier" support since he couldn't solve the problem. Now I must wait "at least one business day" to be contacted by this new level of support at Logitech.

We need a new Internet Appliance

i-openerAt one of the first, now defunct, Comdex computer shows that I attended in the late 90's, I attended a round table discussion on Internet Appliances. This was a huge buzz word at the time, but unfortunately it was ahead of its time. An Internet Appliance did only two things…browse the Internet and email. The picture I'm showing in this story was known as the Netpliance from a company called I-Opener. The idea was great, but at the time Internet connections were dial-up only and the Internet had not attained a true critical mass of users.

How to buy a computer book

When teaching my basic computer classes, I often get the question, "What is a good computer book?"

This is also followed or preceded by the complaint that the individual's computer did not come with a manual.

As strange as it may seem, there is a very good reason why the average computer doesn't come will a full instruction book. The reason is that there is too much to know about a computer to fit in a single manual.

Most computers come with a small user guide that shows how to turn it on and what numbers to call for tech support. Strangely this little guide is often a file on the computer, so you must turn the computer on in order to read it.

You don’t HAVE to log into AOL or MSN

Many AOL and MSN users have converted to either cable or DSL high speed connections over the last few years. This tip is for all you AOL and MSN broadband users.

IE7 LogoWhen I work with a high speed AOL or MSN user, habit guides their mice to the AOL or MSN icon. With a high speed connection, you do NOT need to log in to the service's browser if you just want to look up something on the web. Instead, decrease the time and steps it takes to get to the web by more than half by simply double-clicking on the Internet Explorer icon (pictured) from your desktop or Start menu. This will transport you instantly to the web. You only have to sign in to the AOL or MSN software if you want to check your email. Heck even that is optional, but that's a tip for another day.

What IS a blog?

Over the past few weeks I have been asked this question several times. For some reason people always place the emphasis on the word is in this question.

"So, what is a blog?" is a different question than "What is a blog?

By placing the emphasis on the word is, I read this question to be rephrased as, "I keep hearing about blogs and they sound interesting, but no one can really define it for me, can you explain?"

A blog is a sort of online journal. Some people describe it as a diary, but since it is public and can be used for purposes other than personal information, a journal is probably a better description.

Moving to a new computer requires patience

I've helped many new people this fall move to a new computer. Like moving to a new house, it takes time and patience before everything gets just right on your new computer. It is important to know that you can't simply hook up a new computer and start using it. You need to uninstall any unwanted software, properly configure and update your security software, setup your Internet and email connections, and then most importantly, transfer your data from the old computer to the new one.

Inevitably, when I work with a new computer customer, I get the deer in the headlights look when I if there data is backed up or know what data they want to move and where it is stored. You have heard me mention many times how important file management and backup are, but I have also mentioned that this is the most difficult part of computing to learn and understand. Many computer users can get by not learning about files, folders and backup for years, but when moving to a new computer, this will make the transition a lot tougher and longer. 

Palm handhelds still rock

Palm has shifted focus the last few years to smartphones (like the Treo I'm writing on right now), but they still manufacture and sell PDA's (portable digital assistants). I helped a customer setup a new Palm Tungsten E2 today. I set it up so that she could sync (transfer data from computer to PDA and vice versa) between both her Windows desktop and her Mac laptop…very slick. Now she has the option of accesing her calendar, address book, notes and much more from any of the three devices.

Palm handhelds; they organized and changed my life. It will take a true miracle device for me to fall out of love with Palm.