Keyloggers are viruses (or can be hardware in an office situation) that log everything you enter into your computer…including passwords, user names, and account numbers. Don't take this problem lightly as it can lead to identity theft. Keyloggers are rare and if you run proper security software (search security on our site), you are not at risk. However, if you suspect a keylogger, use one of these tools to detect them:
Desktop icons are great to access commonly used programs and files, but I have found an even faster way to access those commonly used programs and keep my desktop a little cleaner at the same time.
After following the outlined steps below, you will have an orderly toolbar that contains easy one-click access to your favorite programs or files:
RIGHT Click on your Taskbar (next to the Start button)
Click Toolbars
Click Quick Launch (or make sure there is already a check mark there)
In Part 1 of our Picasa Video tip , we discussed how to use many of the editing and organizing tools available in Picasa. In this tip, you will learn about:
Click the Read More option below to start the video if it has not already started, and be patient as the video loads.
Picasa , from Google, has matured into a phenomenal digital photo manager. Not only is it easy to use and contains tons of great features, but it is also free to use. In the upcoming week, we will present you with a series of video tips explaining how to get the most out of Picasa.
This video may take a few minutes to get started (even on a broadband connection), but be patient, and you will be happy you have seen the video.
We have a few program specific tips on our website about how to send email attachments. Each step is broken down step-by-step.
I am writing this more as a general guide for emailing attachments. I have seen a few mistakes lately that have caused problems for first-time attachment senders. Here are a few tips to help you avoid problems.
1. If you are emailing photos and you use Outlook, Outlook Express or gmail, download and install Picasa – selecting, resizing and sending photos is a one step process.
2. Don't ever scan a document as "text" when scanning. Sometimes this will open the scanner software's OCR feature which converts it to a text document rather than an image. This sounds good, but it will cost you a lot more time and it probably will just frustrate you.
Yesterday, I ran across a customer with an HP All-in-one printer that would not pull up the HP Director software that controls the copy, scan and fax processes. Turns out that the problem occurred shortly after his system updated to the new Internet Explorer 7. Because so much software uses Internet Explorer in some fashion, the update causes problems for some of them and this was the case with HP Director. HP has come out with a fix, but you have to be able to HP Director up and running in order to click on it's update feature.
Here's how to get HP Director up and running:
This is a workaround posted on HP's web site. Once you do get the HP Director running, click the "Check for updates" icon on it and download the available updates. It will take a few moments and then ask you to restart your computer, but when it does, all will be well again with HP Director.
There is a nasty group of spyware programs out there that not only hijack your browser home page, but they replace your desktop with a warning that your computer is infected and add icons to your system tray. What's worse is that all of these items are so linked that you can't get rid of any of them unless you get rid of all of them.
Today I found a great tool that made removing these spyware programs simple. However, this tool does not replace any of the other tools we talk about on a regular basis.
The program is easy to use – just follow the prompts. I didn't even have to start the system in safe mode for it to work.
By popular demand (thanks Jack), here’s the shopping store. A customer of
mine took advantage of the amazing computer deals at a local big box store
with matching initials. It was one of those computer, monitor, printer
packages. Turns out they sold her an ‘open box’ printer and though
apprehensive the manager assured her everything would be fine.
I show up to set everything up and take one look at the box and asked to
see her receipt. They charged her full price for the printer (three-in-one
HP) and gave her a gift certificate for $8.50. There was no packing
material around the printer, the cartridges were already installed and dry,
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:
HIGH SPEED USERS:
At 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.