Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Why won’t my external USB hard drive work in a front USB connector?

Posted on November 6, 2014

Question from Dreama L.: I have a Lenovo desktop computer with Windows 7. I bought an external USB hard drive to make backups with, and it works great when plugged into one of the USB connectors on the back of the PC. It won’t work at all when it’s plugged into the front connectors though.

I’d really like to be able to plug the drive into the front of the computer, make the backup, then unplug it and set it on a shelf until I need to use it again. Can you tell me how to get the drive to work with a front mounted USB connector?

Rick‘s answer: [Read more…]

Turn your Windows 7/8 laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot for free with Virtual Router Plus

Posted on November 5, 2014

A while back I wrote about an awesome program called Connectify that turns a laptop into a Wi-Fi hotspot. When I wrote that post Connectify came in both free and paid versions, but they have since dropped the free version from their online store.

After learning that Connectify is no longer free, I downloaded and tested another free program that does the same thing (in fact it works with any Wi-Fi enabled PC, not just laptops). It’s called Virtual Router Plus, and I’m happy to tell you that it works extremely well. [Read more…]

Review: Dell Inspiron i3531-1200BK 15.6-Inch Laptop

Posted on November 2, 2014

Modern laptops are becoming more powerful all the time. More RAM and hard drive space along with faster CPUs make many of them true desktop replacement PCs, and there seems to be no end to the enhancements in sight.

But not everyone needs the fastest, most powerful laptop on the block. If you just need a laptop that does a good job at surfing the Internet, checking email, watching Youtube videos and making simple edits to photos, a good budget model should serve you quite well.

The Dell Inspiron i3531-1200BK (#ad) is a 15.6 inch laptop that will do everything mentioned above, and more. While it won’t be setting any speed records, it’s plenty fast enough and powerful enough to do what the average Internet user needs for a budget laptop to do. [Read more…]

Q&A: MacBook Air or MacBook Pro – Which is better for a college student?

Posted on October 29, 2014

Question from Alveda F.: Hi Rick. My daughter is a college freshman. Her laptop was stolen a few days ago during a visit to the library and she needs to replace it.

Price is an issue, but it’s important to me that she get the best computer for her needs even if it costs a little more.

I know they are more expensive than Windows laptops, but her friends have convinced her that she needs to buy a MacBook. That’s fine with me, but she’s confused about which model to get.

Her choice is basically between a MacBook Air (#ad) and a MacBook Pro. (#ad)

Which do you think would be better for her? She’s a History major if that makes any difference.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Review: PC Matic

Posted on October 28, 2014

It seems that you can’t turn on your TV these days without seeing a commercial for PC Matic, especially the one in which the company’s founder and CEO touts the software’s “superior” virus protection.

And of course there’s the ever-present pitch aimed at users of the now-abandoned Windows XP.

Upon the request of several of this blog’s readers, I decided to put PC Matic to the test. [Read more…]