By now many of you have figured out that computers are unruly beasts. They seem to be fine one day and schizophrenic the next. As a person who troubleshoots computers for a living, I’m going to let you in on a little trade secret.
When something on your computer seems to be a little left of center, stop and ask yourself three questions:
Last week, I initiated a new service here at HelpMeRick.com that allows you to get email updates (including the newsletter) about the site. Once per day, you will receive an email with any new content we have posted to the site. No spam, no fuss, just nicely formatted updates from the site.
The service is called FeedBlitz. Click the little FeedBlitz icon found in the upper left hand corner of all our web pages and then fill out the short form to subscribe to the updates. You can also click right here to subscribe.
We would love to see that little subscription number get into the 10’s of thousands or more!
As you know, we have been working hard to get our newsletter problems cleared up since they started earlier this summer. Unfortunately, some services are still marking the newsletter as spam.
Using our new FeedBlitz service will allow you to not only get the newsletter, but also help you keep on top of all the happenings here at HelpMeRick.com. Give it a try! And tell all your tech friends about it as well!
I just read the review of the new Palm Centro at TreoCentral.com. It sounds wonderful. I was very excited to hear about it when it was announced, but after reading the review, I feel that it is a device that would change my life. I have used the Palm Treo 600, 650 and 700p. Each new generation has been better than the last. My only complaints about the Treo have been over form factor. It already does more and does it better than any other converged device on the market.
On last week’s web show, I talked about how excited I was with a new technology called Splashtop. Adam sent me the site earlier last week, and since then my mind and ideas have been flying.
Splashtop was developed by a private company called Device VM. They work with hardware and software developers to bring their ideas to the market. Splashtop is being billed as a computer’s alter ego to the operating system (aka Windows, Linux, etc). Instead of booting all the way into your operating system (2 minutes plus), you can choose to boot to the Splashtop which, at the moment, runs a customized version of Mozilla Firefox and Skype.
When you choose to start your computer into Splashtop, you can be browsing the Internet in seconds. Everything you can do on the web is available. When you finish, hit the off button and the system shuts off instantly.
I am really excited about the possibility for Splashtop because I have been talking and writing a lot recently about the need for simpler computers. With all the computing we can do on the Internet today, there really is no need for a vast majority of computer users to deal with the complexities and cost of an operating system.
Take a look at the Splashtop web site and watch their video below and then let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.
There is no doubt in my mind that our site has the most relevant and easy to understand computer information for the average and beginner computer user. Unfortunately, the average computer user doesn’t know how to browse the web well and has trouble finding the information they need to know.
Search engines are confusing. Searching a web site is even more baffling. These computer users do well when they have a recipe of what to do in front of them or can watch someone else perform the steps.
Enter the above average computer user…YOU!
We desperately need your help in spreading the word about HelpMeRick.com Your neighbors look to you for help and computer advice. Your co-workers look to you when they need to find a lost file. And of course your family knows that you know the answer to their latest computer dilemma.
Unofficially, YOU provide tech support for a multitude of computer users. Those computer users you help need to be visiting HelpMeRick.com to help get answers to their questions and to improve their computer knowlege. You can help them get the computer education they need by using the thousands of answers we provide here at the site.
Send your tech support charges links via email to the exact answer to their question at HelpMeRick.com. No reason for you to have reinvent the wheel.
Get the picture? Help us, help you. Help us, help your friends.
Then tell your friends to visit HelpMeRick.com often so they don’t get in these messes to begin with or can learn new skills that make them more productive computer users.
And finally, let them know that they also should send their friends, family, and co-workers to HelpMeRick.com for education and computer help. Knowledge is power, and powerful computer knowledge can be found right here.
Have you ever followed a link from Google only to find that the page it leads you to is full of text that you must read through in order to find the terms you searched for?
In Firefox and most other browsers, you can press the F key on your keyboard while holding the CTRL key down and you will open a find tool.
The word default in tennis, is not the same as the word default in computers.
In the computer world, the word default means, what your computer will do when you don’t tell it to do something else.
Most families have two or more cars. Chances are that each member of the family has their favorite car to drive. If they have to go somewhere, there is a good chance that they will drive the same car every time. This, in the computer world, would be considered the default car for that person.
Definition
The word blog derived from web + log. Blogs became well known during the 2004 election process, but have been around since at least 1999. They started out as simple online diaries comprised of primarily text entries sorted by date…newest to oldest. Gradually, they morphed into full fledge web sites containing images and video along with the written information.
What is the purpose of a blog?
Thankfully, broadband (high speed) Internet is spreading further and further. I don’t walk into many homes anymore than don’t have high speed access, and I can’t remember the last time I helped a business customer who had dial-up access. With high speed Internet access, many computer users install a wireless router to the modem to allow multiple computer access to the Internet. Wireless routers are easier to setup than ever before and can be purchased for well under $50. However, with extra technology, comes extra problems.
With wireless, the extra problems can mean potentially slow, spotty, and unsecured Internet access. Follow these five steps to make your wireless Internet stronger, more secure and less problematic:
A few months ago, I discovered Business 2.0, a small magazine in the Time empire. I have read every issue since over and over again in the room where I do most of my reading.
I have bought the past few issues off the stands. I bought the October issue with every intent of filling out the subscription card this month replacing my Popular Photography subscription. I was very disappointed to read the banner across the top of the October Issue – "Collectors Item: Our Final Issue."