Rick's Daily Tips

Why you should never blow dust out of your PC with an air compressor

Posted on May 10, 2017

Over time your computer’s fans will almost certainly draw enough dust inside the case to partially or completely cover the components and block air from flowing around the various parts.

This is not good as it allows heat to build up inside the components, and heat leads to both intermittent program errors and eventual hardware failure.

It’s important to remove any built-up dust from the inside of your computer on a regular basis, and the best way to do it is to blow it out with forced air.

Simply remove the side panel, carry the PC outdoors and have at it. Some folks use an air compressor to blow out the dust, but I think that is very bad idea for two very important reasons: [Read more…]

Skip those irritating voice mail instructions and go right to the beep!

Posted on April 26, 2017

If you’re like me you probably hate calling someone who doesn’t answer, especially if you need to leave a message.

Before you get to that magic beep, you first have to wait while the voice mail system plays the recipient’s personal greeting, and then you have to listen for another eternity while it tells you how to leave a message.

If you’re wondering why all the major cell carriers require us to listen to the same boring voice mail instructions over and over again before allowing us to leave a simple message, it’s because it makes them a ton of money! [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I add the www to my WordPress blog’s URL?

Posted on April 23, 2017

Question from Chuck F.: Rick, I followed the instructions in your guide to creating a self-hosted WordPress blog and created my very first blog over the weekend. Everything went well with no problems whatsoever.

I was wondering though if there is a way to change the blog’s URL to include the www part? Right now my blog is at http://example.com and I want it to be http://www.example.com.

Rick’s answer: Hi Chuck! By default the WordPress installation script creates the blog URL without the www, but most bloggers prefer to have it included. Here’s how to add the www to your blog’s URL: [Read more…]

Take your iPhone photography to a new level with an off-camera flash

Posted on April 20, 2017

The most recent iPhones are notorious for taking outstanding photos that rival those taken by expensive point-and-shoot cameras. And I must say that I have seen some pretty spectacular images that were captured with them.

But as most any professional photographer will tell you, it’s difficult to take professional quality photos in low-light situations using just the camera’s built-in flash unit. To get a truly magnificent image under those conditions, one must use an off-camera flash.

Photographers have been using off-camera flash units with their expensive DSLR and high-end point and shoot cameras for years, and now iPhone users have that option as well.

The awesome Nova Off-Camera Wireless Flash for iPhone will provide that all-important flash of supplemental light to give your iPhone photos a crisp and bright professional look. [Read more…]

Scam alert: Don’t fall for the ‘he is a kidnapper’ hoax on Facebook

Posted on April 18, 2017

Well, yet another scam is making the rounds on Facebook right now, and it seems to be spreading fast. I know, you’re probably shocked (not)!

This one is called the “he is a kidnapper” scam, and you’ll see why in just a moment.

As with most Facebook scams, this one varies a bit in its wording.

The scam is being spread primarily via instant messages from your already-scammed friends, and the fraudulent messages look something like this: [Read more…]