Rick's Daily Tips

Choppy Youtube videos? Try watching them with Opera!

Posted on December 30, 2013

Some computers (especially laptops) have trouble with Youtube videos because they simply don’t have the “muscle” required to display them smoothly. I’ve discovered that using a different web browser will often improve the viewing experience considerably, and the one that I recommend most often is Opera.

Thanks to the speed at which it renders video, Opera seems to work better with Youtube than any other browser that I’ve tried. If your Youtube experience is less than desirable, why not download it and give it a try? Simply visit this page and click the red Download button. [Read more…]

Scam Alert: Don’t fall for the $250 Kroger Gift Card on Facebook

Posted on December 28, 2013

There’s a new scam making the rounds on Facebook just in time for the New Year. This one claims to be giving away a $250 Kroger Gift card just for filling out a survey or performing some other innocent sounding task.

The problem is the folks behind the “giveaway” have no relation whatsoever to Kroger. They are actually just a bunch of scammers who are out to steal the personal information you provide when “signing up” for the “giveaway” for their own sinister purposes. [Read more…]

Google Chromebooks accounted for 21% of all laptops sold in 2013

Posted on December 28, 2013

Have you seen the commercial featuring the guys from the show “Pawn Stars” telling a despondent “customer” that her Google Chromebook isn’t a real laptop? Well, there’s a reason why Microsoft is running that ad: They’re scared.

According to marketing research firm NPD Group, Chromebooks accounted for a whopping 21% of all laptops sold through commercial channels in 2013.

You were probably already aware that Windows-based PCs have lost a huge chunk of the computer market to tablets and smart phones, but the amazing success of the Chromebook probably surprises you just as much as it did me.

There are several reasons why Chromebooks are selling so well: [Read more…]

Q&A: Why do my folders freeze up when I first open them?

Posted on December 28, 2013

Question from Lisa: Whenever I click to open a folder on my laptop it will open up, then freeze for a LONG time. And it’s very annoying to say the least.

A little green bar will crawl across the top of the window, and when it finally makes it all the across the folder “unfreezes” and I can use it just fine.

How can I stop this from happening?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Amazon refunds shipping charges and gives customers $20 gift cards for late deliveries by UPS

Posted on December 27, 2013

I have long been a huge fan of Amazon, and this story is yet another example of why I like them so much.

According to the Washington Post, UPS underestimated the number of packages they’d need to deliver before Christmas, which caused many of them to not be delivered until the day after. [Read more…]