Create an E-mail Business Card

Create an E-mail Business Card

Want to create your very own e-mail business card? Do you use Outlook Express? If you said yes to both of those questions, this tip is for you. I actually just received an e-mail from someone the other day who had a business card attached to their e-mail and I thought that was a really good idea, so I wanted to share it with all of you too. Okay, let's check this out!

You can include a business card in your e-mail for any reason you want. Maybe you work for a top notch business and you like to let other people know about it along with the e-mails you send out. Or, maybe you run your own business and you figure e-mail is a great way to get the word out about what you do. You could also make a business card just for fun if you wanted to. It's a perfect way to exchange contact information with other people. So, either way you slice it, it's a good deal.

Okay, let's get started. To create a business card in Outlook Express, open up the e-mail program and go to your Address Book (Tools, Address Book). Now, you'll want to create an entry for yourself, so click on New, New Contact and type in your name or your business name (whichever you prefer). You can include just your first name or your full name. That is up to you. Click OK when you're done.

Then find your name in your list of contacts and click on it to highlight it.

Next, go to File, Export, Business Card (vCard). The vCard is just the format the business card uses. The format can also be used in different digital devices and operating systems. Now, a new window will appear and you'll just want to choose a location to save your business card in. You can save it in your My Documents folder or even on your desktop. It doesn't really matter where you put it. Just place it somewhere you will remember and a spot that is easy to get to. Once you pick a location, click Save. That's all there is to that!

Now, you also have the option of inserting your business card into every e-mail you send out. This is probably a smart thing to do if you want to get more information about your business out to people, but if you just need to exchange contact information with a few people, you can also just attach it to certain e-mails. This just saves you from having to type out all your information every time you need to give it to someone. Also, if you just want to send your card to business people and not to family and friends, you'll only want to attach it to certain e-mails and not every single one.

So, to put the card into certain e-mails only, go back to the main page of Outlook Express and compose a new message. Then go to the Insert menu and choose My Business Card. That will take care of that part.

Now, to put the card into every e-mail you send out, go to Tools, Options and select the Compose tab. Under the business cards section (toward the bottom of the box), you can choose either Mail or News. (You'll probably want to choose Mail, unless you use the News part of OE often). Either way, use the drop down menu and find your name in the list of contacts that appears. Your name should be there, because you already created your own contact earlier. Click OK when you're done and your business card will now show up in every e-mail you send.

Pretty cool, huh? Give it a try today!

PocketMod

PocketMod

Don’t have a fancy Pocket PC or organizer? Well, with PocketMod, you don’t need one! I discovered PocketMod just a couple of weeks ago and I haven’t stopped using mine since. Let's check it out!

So, what is a PocketMod? Believe it or not, but it’s not another electronic gadget. It’s actually just a piece of paper you can use as a personal organizer. And best of all, it's completely customizable!

Creating one for yourself is easy! Here's how:

1.) Go to http://www.pocketmod.com and click on the Start icon.

2.) You can then begin to customize your cover page. To do that, first click on the button labeled Cover. Then click on the spanner and screwdriver icon.

3.) Next, enter in your details and click on Close. Now, click and drag the cover page into the spot on your PocketMod that says Front.

4.) Okay, it’s now time to add other items! Simply repeat the same process as above for six more pages. For example, I like the Sudoku widget, the calendar and the shopping list, so I added all of those to my PocketMod. Of course, you can add whatever suits you the best. When you're finished, click on Print PocketMod to print out your organizer.

5.) Once you’ve printed your PocketMod, it’s time to fold it. On the PocketMod homepage (or, here if you prefer), there's a video that shows you how to fold it. Just follow the directions and you'll be all set!

You’re now completely organized. Yes!

Ms office Oops! How Can I Undo That?

Oops! How Can I Undo That?

Okay, so the other day, we learned how to add to the Safe Senders list in MS Outlook 2003 and 2007.

But what if you've accidentally added someone to the list who shouldn't be there? How can you remove that name from the list?

It's a good question and I thought it deserved an answer, so let's get right down to business!

In Outlook 2003 or 2007, go to the Tools menu, Options choice.

Under the Preferences tab, you're looking for the Junk E-mail button.

When the Junk E-mail window opens, you need the Safe Senders tab.

In the center, you should find a list of senders you've selected as safe.

Choose the one that needs to be removed and then click on the Remove button.

Click OK twice to get back to Outlook.

Voila. It's back to blocked pictures for that sender!

Raise Your Keyboard

Today, I have one question for you: "How do you feel about the height of your keyboard?" Okay, so that may seem like a pretty odd question, but believe me, it's legit for this quick tip! I'm talking about the height of your keyboard as it sits on your desk (or wherever you may keep it).

Some of you may know about this, but the rest of you may not, so I thought this would be a neat little entry for today's newsletter. Go ahead and flip your keyboard over on its back. What do you see? Besides some wording, etc., you should see two clips on either side of the keyboard. If you pull those clips out and then set your keyboard back down, you will notice that it gains a little bit of height. Wow, who knew?!

Those special clips are there to help you get the most comfortable feel for your keyboard. If it's better for your hands to be a little higher as you type, use the clips. If you try it for awhile and decide you don't like it, push the clips back in and your keyboard will then sit flat on your desk once again. It's just an easy way to achieve the best fit for all of your typing needs. Check it out!

Social Bookmarking

Social Bookmarking

I know most of you have probably heard of bookmarking and some of you probably know what I'm talking about when I say social networking, but what about social bookmarking? Do those three things even have anything to do with each other? Well, the answer to that is yes and no. Allow me to explain!

When you bookmark a Web site, you're pretty much adding it to your Favorites list (in your Web browser) so that you'll be able to find it easier and faster the next time you want to visit it. That way, you don't have to take up so much time finding it again on the world wide Web. Now, I'm willing to guess that most of you bookmark a lot of Web sites on a regular basis. Am I right? So, once you have all those sites compiled, what are you going to do with them? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to share them with other people who may have the same interests as you?

Well, that's where social bookmarking comes into play. It allows you to share your bookmarks with other Internet users in a collaborative sort of way. Usually, social bookmarking takes place on sites where the users can create an account for their bookmarks. It's also helpful to do it on sites that allow you to insert keywords for the types of bookmarks you add. That way, they all can be organized and set into categories that other users can easily search through.

Social bookmarking gives you the chance to see all of the Web sites you may have missed thus far. By seeing what other users submit in certain categories, you can view the ones that fit your interests the best. You won't have to waste your time looking at other sites that don't interest you. Also, by being able to see all the sites that other people add, you can start to accumulate a whole slew of new resources. It's all so helpful and you certainly can't complain about that!

Once you become a part of a social bookmarking site, you become a member of that community. You and all of the other users are there for the same reason and you can help each other out in finding sites that will benefit all of you. It also makes searching the Web so much easier and quicker. Another great thing is that once you're part of a site, you can access it from any computer and any browser. That way, you're never limited in seeing the social bookmarks you've been waiting for.

Now, you're probably wondering how you can get started. There are a few social bookmarking sites online today, with one of the most popular being del.icio.us. You can create your own account there and once you're all set up, you can search by keywords to find other bookmarks that may interest you. This site also has lists for the "Popular" and "Recent" categories, so you can dive right into your searching. You can find bookmarks for all types of things on here too. From software to design to photography to shopping, it's all here!

Another great social bookmarking site is digg.com. We've told you about this one before in our newsletter and you can read here for some basic information about it. Digg is mostly geared toward technology and science, but if you're into that, it will be perfect for you. You can leave comments (diggs) on the site as well, which makes it all a little more interesting. One more popular social bookmarking site is reddit.com. It is a great source for up and coming online content. Reddit also has a very unique and easy voting system. Other social bookmarking sites that may be worth a look are Furl, StumbleUpon and Slashdot.

Now, of course, there are always pros and cons to everything and social bookmarking is no exception. If social bookmarking is going to work properly, it takes a lot of organization to make sure all of the information is divided up correctly and is relevant. Sometimes the sites fall short on that and it can make your research a lot more difficult. On the other hand, these sites allow you to gain a bigger knowledge base, all while helping others do the same. Social bookmarking is a feel good type of thing and if done right, it can benefit a lot of people. Oh yeah!

~ Erin

BigString

Have you ever wished your e-mail would do certain things for you? Well, today, I want to introduce you to a new e-mail service you might like. It's called BigString, but before I go into any detail about it, I have to ask you a couple questions. Have you ever wanted to erase an e-mail that was already sent? Or, how about ensuring a private e-mail wasn't forwarded, saved or printed? Would you like to record a video right in an e-mail? Luckily, all of those things are just a few of the features BigString boasts. So, let’s check it out!

To get started with BigString, you first need to create an account. Here's how:

1.) Head on over to http://www.bigstring.com/ and click on the Sign Up link.

2.) Now, you’ll need to set up a username. Type in your choice and click on Check Username. BigString is relatively new, so there are plenty of choices for usernames. If your choice is available, click Continue.

3.) You’ll then have to fill out the usual information: your name, password, set up a security question, etc. Once you're finished, click Continue.

4.) Next, click on Take Me to My Inbox and you'll see this screen:

5.) To begin typing an e-mail, click on Compose.

Now, here’s where the magic begins! You can select from all different types of e-mails. Let’s check them out!

• Recallable Messages – These are messages that expire after a certain number of views, an exact time or a time after it was opened. They can also be edited. For example, if the wrong information was sent to the wrong person.
  
  
• Quick Destruct – Messages that destruct after either 15 to 30 seconds or one to two minutes after being opened.
  
  
• Regular with Tracking – These are messages that can be tracked by how many views they've had.
  
  
• Video Mail - This one allows you to record a video using a Webcam. The video can be set to self-destruct after a certain number of views.
  
  
• Secure Mail – This uses encryption to keep your e-mails private.
  
  
• Regular – Of course, you have the option of sending a normal e-mail as well.

6.) You can experiment with sending e-mails to yourself with those different options. I’m sure you’ll notice that it's rich-text formatting, which is similar to MS Word. You can also embed an image if you wish. To send an e-mail, simply click on the green Send button.

Now, I’d like to show you how to recall and self-destruct messages!

7.) First, click on .

8.) Here you can see that an e-mail I sent to myself hasn’t been read yet. To self-destruct it, just click on the checkbox and then click on Self-Destruct.

9.) Now, let’s say I wanted to edit the following message:

10.) Just double click it and type in your corrections. Then click on Update. It’s as easy as that!

11.) As for the video e-mail, I have a Webcam and I've recorded a short clip. When the recipient gets the video, they'll have to click on a link to be directed to a video player similar to this:

That's it. Now, go on and enjoy all that BigString has to offer!

WebMail Notifier

Are you an avid Firefox user? If so, you’ll definitely want to check out the new add on I have for you today. It's called WebMail Notifier and it will save you a lot of time and it will make it easier for you to check your e-mails!

I don’t know about you, but my e-mails are spread out across several e-mail addresses with Yahoo!, Hotmail and Gmail. It takes me ages to check all of them when I wake up in the morning and I don’t usually have time to check every single one. Well, that's when WebMail Notifier comes into play! It’s all maintained by a little envelope icon that sits in the bottom right hand corner of your Firefox browser. It looks like this:

If you want it, simply click here to get it!

To install WebMail Notifier, just click on the Install Now button and then restart Firefox. When it's finished, you’ll need to set it all up. Here’s how:

1.) Right click on the envelope icon.

2.) Choose Preferences.

3.) Choose the e-mail program you use (for example, Hotmail, Yahoo!, etc).

4.) Enter in your username (for instance, test@yahoo.com) and your password.

5.) Click on the Add button to complete the setup process!

WebMail Notifier will then check your e-mail for new messages regularly. If you get a new e-mail, the envelope icon will light up. You can customize your preferences to hear a chime sound when you get a new message as well. How cool is that?!

It's the easiest way I've been able to find to keep on top of all my e-mails at once. Give it a try today!

~ Brandon Zubek

DVD Rip

How many of you have a growing DVD collection? If so, how would you like to be able to save or rip those DVDs to your computer? Yep, they would be saved on your hard drive and you could watch them anytime you please. That would be pretty cool, wouldn't it? Well, you’re in luck, because that's exactly what I’m going to show you how to do today!

If you’ve ever tried to rip a DVD, you know it can be a complicated process. There are so many different programs that make you deal with video format, codecs, compression and all those other confusing settings. Well, I’m going to eliminate all of that from the DVD ripping process for you by using what is called a “one click program.” It’s a single program designed to convert DVDs into AVI or MPEG videos, all with just a few clicks of the mouse. Let’s get started!

1.) First, download the program you’ll be using as a ripper. It's called bitRipper and the download link can be found right here.

2.) Follow the installation procedure that appears on your screen. When it's finished, go ahead and run bitRipper.

3.) With its simple interface, the program will look similar to this:

4.) Now, you can go ahead and insert a DVD into your computer's DVD ROM drive.

5.) bitRipper will instantly recognize your DVD. To burn the entire video, make sure Track 1 is selected.

6.) For the output, select Browse. From there, you can choose where you want the video file to be exported.

7.) To select the format, use the drop down list at the bottom of the dialogue box.

8.) Finally, click on Start Ripping. Once you do that, a progress bar will appear that gives you an estimated end time.

9.) Once bitRipper has finished, the file will appear where you selected to place it.

10.) To access another great feature of bitRipper, click on Settings. There you will see an option to shut down your computer after bitRipper is finished. I think that’s quite nifty, especially if you're ripping a large DVD overnight. As soon as the ripping is done, your computer will shut down!

I hope you have fun with this great little program, but keep in mind that you should never copy or distribute videos that are copyrighted by someone else. Enjoy!

~ Neil Patel

Windows Updates: July 2008

It's that time again! Yep, the Windows Updates for July 2008 came through to most computers on Tuesday, July 8, 2008, so if you haven't installed them yet, you better get to it. They're probably sitting down there in your system tray just waiting for you to download them! Whether you've updated your computer yet or not, I'm sure you're all curious to know what's new this month, right? Well, come along with me and I'll tell you!

There are four updates this month and they are all categorized as "important." That's right, no critical issues this time around! The first issue dealt with a vulnerability in Microsoft's SQL server that could potentially allow elevation of privilege. The second was a vulnerability in Windows Explorer that could allow remote code execution. The third update involved vulnerabilities within DNS that could allow spoofing and the fourth issue had to do with vulnerabilities in the MS Outlook Web Access for Exchange server that could allow for elevation of privilege. Whew, that's a lot!

Of course, all of those issues were fixed with this month's Windows Updates, but you have to install them in order to reap the benefits! A few affected software and download locations were also taken care of, as well as, detection and deployment tools and guidance. And as always, the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool was also updated. That's it. You're now up to date for yet another month!

~ Erin

TrueCrypt

Today, I have a free download for you called TrueCrypt. It's a program that allows you to make encrypted virtual drives so that your important data is password protected. While I have reviewed many programs that allow you to password protect certain items on your computer, TrueCrypt is the first one I have found that will allow you to password protect data on a flash drive. That means, when you plug your flash drive into any computer, you will have to enter a password in order to access the files you have encrypted. I think that's awesome and this is the first free program I have been able to find that will do it.

Before I get into the specifics, I want to say how important it is for you to follow these directions carefully. Read over them completely before you do anything, just to make sure you're comfortable with the process. Anyone can do this, as long as you follow along carefully.

First, you will need two things:

1.) A USB flash memory card. Any size is fine, but it must be blank.

2.) The free TrueCrypt software, which you can get here: http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads.php

Okay, here we go!

To begin, download TrueCrypt from the link above and save it to your desktop.

Next, find the file you saved on your desktop and install it. That will install the TrueCrypt program on your computer. It needs to be installed on the computer in order to set up the flash drive, but it will not be needed after that. Choose the Install option and then click Next.

After the installation is complete, plug your flash drive into the computer and allow the system some time to properly recognize and install it. That should happen automatically. Now, go to My Computer and write down the drive letter the system has assigned to your flash drive. On my computer, my flash drive has been assigned the letter J:, but it will probably be different for you. Please make sure you know the drive letter before continuing.

After figuring out the drive letter, close the My Computer screen. There should be a new icon on your desktop for the TrueCrypt program. Double click on that to open it.

When you open the program, you'll see a screen with a bunch of drive letters on it. That screen is used to choose the drive letter that will be assigned to your encrypted files drive. TrueCrypt works by creating a new drive letter for your protected data. Anything you put on the new drive will automatically be secured by your password. We will now put the drive on your blank flash drive.

On the TrueCrypt screen, choose a drive letter by clicking on it. I chose letter X: for my drive, but you can choose any letter you'd like. After selecting a letter, click on the Create Volume button.

Next, we'll go through the settings to create the drive. Please follow along carefully!

The first screen that comes up will ask you what you want to create. Choose the Create a File Container option and then click Next.

The next screen will ask you the volume type. Choose Standard TrueCrypt Volume and then click Next.

The next screen will ask you to choose the volume location. This is where you will need to know the drive letter for your flash drive. You need to tell the program where the encrypted files will be saved. To do that, click on the Select File button. A new window will open that allows you to look through your files. On that screen, go to My Computer and double click on your flash drive's letter. After doing that, type "encrypted" into the file name box (you can actually type any file name here, I just chose "encrypted"). It should look like this:

Click Save and then click Next.

The next screen asks you about encryption options. You don't need to do anything here, so just click Next.

Okay, now you should be on a screen that says Volume Size. That screen asks how much space you want to use on your flash drive for encrypted files. It will tell you how much space is available, but you don't want to use it all. I chose to use 2,000 MB. That should be plenty.

After choosing your size, click Next. The next screen will ask you for a password. Type in the password you want to use for your files and then confirm it by typing it in again (no checks are needed in the other boxes on the screen). Then click Next. Note: The program will tell you that a very large password is recommended. It's truly up to you how big you want your password to be. There's no point in encrypting your files if you can't remember the password for them later!

The next screen will actually encrypt the folder. The program creates an encryption code based on the movement of your mouse. Just move your mouse around for awhile and then click on the Format button.

Then just wait. This part will take some time. It's formatting the drive so that you can use it.

After it's finished, click OK and then Finish.

We're done with the first part!

The next part is much quicker.

Go back to the main TrueCrypt screen (the one with the drive letters on it). Then go to the Tools menu and click on Traveler Disk Setup.

That will open the area to make the flash drive work on any computer.

You will then see a screen with a few options. Here's what you do:

First, click Browse in the File Settings box. On that screen, select your flash drive's letter (the one you wrote down before) and click OK.

Next, put a dot next to Automount TrueCrypt Volume. Then click Browse in the box below. Click on the file you created in the last set of steps. (I named mine "encrypted," what did you name yours?) Then click Open.

Finally, put a check in the box that says "Open Explorer window for mounted volume." Then click Create. Here's what it should look like:

After clicking Create, you will get a message saying it's done. Click OK and then close out everything.

Congratulations! You're done!

Now, you can disconnect the flash drive and then reconnect it. It should ask you for your password and then open a blank space for you to copy your files.

Note: If you see a screen like this:

Just click Mount TrueCrypt Volume, then OK.

One last thing: In order for this to work correctly, you must be an Administrator on the computer you're plugging the drive into. That's the case most of the time, but if not, you can right click on the drive and choose Run as Administrator. That will fix it.

I know this seems like a lot, but it really only takes a couple minutes if you follow the directions. Plus, if you want to undo everything, all you have to do is go to My Computer, right click on the drive and choose Format. That will make it good as new, removing any changes you made. Enjoy!

~ Gary

Gmail E-mail Headers

Are you a faithful Gmail e-mail user? If so, this tip is a must read for you! Have you ever wanted to know where all the spam mail you get really comes from? I mean, you already know it’s not PayPal, the IRS or your bank, right? (Read here for more on that). So, who could it be? Well, here’s how you can find out some interesting information about your Gmail e-mails. You know, if you're curious!

To check an e-mail’s message header, here’s what you do:

1.) First, simply open the message.

2.) Next, look toward the top right hand corner. See the arrow? Click on it.

3.) Then from the drop down menu, select Show Original.

4.) In that garbled mix of words (the e-mail header), you really only need one thing: the IP address.

Here’s where you can locate it:

Plus, even better, you can track where the message came from. Just go to http://www.who.is and enter in the IP address. It’s that easy!

So, now you know how to locate certain details in your Gmail e-mail headers. Although you can’t really stop spam (it’s bound to come through sometimes), you can find out where it’s coming from. And that makes it a little easier to take, don't you agree?!

~ Brandon Zubek

Disabling the Vista Welcome

As you've probably figured out, the Windows Vista default setting is set to show the Welcome Center screen every time you start up your computer. While the Welcome Center is mildly interesting the first time you see it, you'll more than likely get tired of it rather quickly. You can easily change the setting though by unchecking the Run option under the Startup button, located at the bottom of the Welcome Center screen.

1.) To do that, go to Start, Control Panel.

2.) Select Welcome Center.

That takes care of that!

Now, similarly, the Vista Sidebar is also shown by default. While some users will find the Sidebar and its widgets very useful, you may want to use that space on your desktop for something else. If that's the case, you can turn the Sidebar off. Here's how:

1.) Go to Start, Control Panel.

2.) Right click on the Windows Sidebar icon in the system tray.

3.) Choose Properties.

4.) Uncheck the "Start Sidebar When Windows Starts" checkbox.

5.) Click OK.

That's it I hope many of you can get some good use out of this one!

Microsoft Surface: Behind-the-Scenes First Look (with Video)

Microsoft Surface - Exclusive Review


http://www.microsoft.com/surface/index.html

[Good & bad Keyloggers]

[Good & bad Keyloggers]

Q:
What exactly is keystroke logging? I've heard it mentioned in your tips before, but I'm not quite sure what it is. Please explain!

A:
Oh, sure, I can do that! You're right, we have mentioned keystroke logging in many of our security tips before, but we've never really gone over what it is by itself. It's very important for all computer users to understand what all is involved with keystroke logging, so I'm glad you asked. I'm sure you're not the only one who has been wondering about it either. So, without further ado, let's have a discussion about keystroke logging!

Basically, keystroke logging (also known as keylogging) is a method used to capture and record user keystrokes. It's often thought of in a negative sense, but it can be used for good as well. For example, keylogging can be used to track down certain computer system errors, to research how users interact with certain systems and it can even be used to check on employee productivity for certain tasks. Keylogging is also useful in law enforcement, as it provides a way to unlock passwords and encryption keys.

Of course, keystroke logging is also a method used by hackers to get into another user's computer and steal information. That's the type we talk about the most in our computer tips, because we want to keep you safe at all times. There's really not that much to it though. If you have an antivirus program, a good firewall and some type of anti-spyware software on your computer, you will be safe from keystroke loggers. Those types of applications can stop keystroke loggers in their tracks so that your information stays protected.

Back on the other side, there are two types of keystroke logging: hardware and software based. Hardware loggers come in three different types. First, there are the devices that are attached to the keyboard cable. They are inline devices and they are very easy to install, but they're also easily detected. Secondly, there are the devices that can be installed inside an actual keyboard. They are rather difficult to install, but once they're in, they are almost impossible to detect. Thirdly, there are replacement keyboards that already have the key logger built in. Those are obviously the easiest to work with and the logger is very hard to detect.

The software loggers are basically set up to see how users interact with different software programs on a computer. Like I said before, they can be used to keep track of how an employee is performing and so on. There are several different types of software keylogging, including local machine software keyloggers, remote access software keyloggers, wireless keylogger sniffers and acoustic keyloggers. They are all used for different tasks and they all provide different results.

As you can see, keystroke logging is used in a variety of ways and while it's used for both positive and negative aspects, it is a useful procedure. There's probably a lot more technical jargon I could bog you down with in terms of keystroke logging, but I think you get the gist. Everything you really need to know about keystroke logging is discussed above. I hope you now have a better understanding of what keystroke logging is and you can go out and tell your friends all about it. It's a great dinner table topic, don't you think?!

~ Erin

Coming Soon: Windows 7?

Coming Soon: Windows 7?

Well, maybe not as soon as you think, but it is in the works! First of all, allow me to explain what Windows 7 is, just in case some of you haven't heard about it yet. Basically, Windows 7 is the name of the next big operating system to come from Microsoft. It will succeed Windows Vista by just a mere three years. That's right, Microsoft announced last week that Windows 7 is planned for a January 2010 release. That's only 18 months away. Wow!

Microsoft senior vice president Bill Veghte sent a letter out to all Microsoft customers last week to give them the good news. The letter was titled "An Update on the Windows Roadmap" and it talked about how they want to provide their users with a more "regular, predictable Windows release schedule." They didn't want to wait another five years like they did between XP and Vista. Veghte also promised that Windows 7 will be much more "straight forward," unlike parts of Windows Vista.

He went on to talk about some of the compatibility issues everyone had with Vista and how Microsoft wants to make sure that doesn't happen with Windows 7. He said they are building from the same core architecture as Windows Vista, so the work you already put into Vista will still pay off with Windows 7. So, even if you're not too happy about another new operating system hitting the shelves, at least it sounds like it will be a little easier to work with. I don't know about you, but that makes me feel a little better about the whole situation. That's all the information I have for you now, but I will continue to keep you updated as more news rolls in!

~ Erin

Microsoft Silverlight

Microsoft Silverlight

If you’re on the Web regularly, you have probably heard of Adobe Flash (or Macromedia Flash), Adobe Shockwave (or Macromedia Shockwave) and Microsoft Silverlight. Oh, you've never heard of Silverlight? Well, it’s Microsoft’s attempt to rival Adobe in its Flash and Shockwave playing fields. Who knew?!

So, what does that mean for you, the user? Basically, if you don't have Silverlight, you'll need to install it just like any other application. Yes, it will take up some of your hard drive space, but trust me, it's worth it!

Here's how to install Silverlight:

1.) First, head on over to this Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight.

2.) Select Install.

3.) You’ll then be prompted to run the .exe file, so go ahead and click Run.

4.) After a couple of questions, Silverlight will begin installing!

5.) When it's finished, you’ll need to restart your browser in order for Silverlight to start working.

That's it! Now, you need to make sure you clean out the rest of your hard drive regularly. Before Silverlight becomes a big thing, it’s acceptable to uninstall the program after you’ve used it and then easily install it again later. However, in the future, it might be just as practical to leave Silverlight on your hard drive, so you'll need to be sure you have enough room for it. Either way, I hope you enjoy this one!

~ Brandon Zubek

Tip of The day-

Better GReader

I’ve tried out many different RSS feed readers, but there's one that definitely stands out from the rest and that would have to be Google Reader. If you've ever tried Google Reader, you know how easy it is to read, prioritize and add your feeds, but today, I’m going to show you a whole slew of great new Google Reader features. Ready, set, let’s go!

The way I’m going to add the new features is through a Firefox extension called Better GReader. It's brought to you by the same talented developer of the Better Gmail extension, Gina Trapani. So, without further ado, I’m going to go over how to use Better GReader and then I'll leave you to experiment with all of the different features!

1.) First, head on over to the Better GReader download page here. To begin the download, click on the green Add to Firefox button.

2.) Next, click on the Install button and then Restart Firefox.

3.) Once Firefox has restarted, surf to the Google Reader homepage here and log in to your account.

4.) To activate any of the scripts (features), go up to the Tools menu and click on Add Ons.

5.) Find Better GReader in the list and click on Options.

6.) Under the General tab, you can select different features you would like to use.

7.) Under the Skins tab, you can choose a cool looking interface for your new Google Reader.

8.) Now, with all of that out of the way, you can now get started on trying out all of the new scripts. If you like one, simply keep it and use it. If you don’t really like one, all you have to do is uncheck the box and it will be taken away. It’s that easy. Enjoy!

~ Neil Patel

Tip ms office-Customizing Office 2007's Favorite Links

Customizing Office 2007's Favorite Links

As promised, today, we're going to take a look at MS Office 2007's equivalent to yesterday's tip about the "Look in" list feature of past Office versions.

To begin, you'll find a new title of "Favorite Links" in the Open or Save dialogue windows.

The good news is that customizing your list is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1.) Select the folder to be added to your list with a click and hold of the mouse button.

2.) Drag the folder into your Favorite Links list. You'll notice a horizontal black line that shows you where the folder will be located. You need to pay attention to that, because the folder will stay where you put it.

3.) Drop the folder into your desired location.

That's all there is to it!

But, as expected, I have a few more related tidbits for you!

• The first thing is, I did attempt to move a file to the list instead of a folder, but the program promptly told me I could not place it in the links.
  
  
• Next, if you right click on something in the list, you will find a pop up menu that includes useful choices, like Rename and Remove, along with many others.
  
  
  
  
• I also found that I could remove something from the Favorite Links list by dragging and dropping it back into the list on the right side of the dialogue window. The only drawback is that while the folder is out of the list, it's now a shortcut in the folder you dropped it into on the right. That's probably not what you were going for, so I wouldn't recommend using this one.
  
  
• You should also know that you can rearrange the Favorite Links list anytime with a quick drag and drop of any item in the list to a new location.
  
  
• Finally, the changes you make to the Favorite Links list in one program will affect all the Office programs you use, so you only have to do the work once.

Now, you have a Favorite Links list you can truly call your own!

~ April