Your daily dose of practical, easy to follow tech tips!
A while back I wrote a post about how searching for coupon codes and promo codes when shopping online can save you big bucks at checkout time. Now I have an even better tip for you.
What if I told you that you no longer have to go from coupon site to coupon site searching for promo codes for the item(s) you’re about to purchase? Instead, your browser can quickly find them for you! [Read more…]
According to a study by market research firm IDC, Android based tablets, iPads and other tablet PCs will outsell laptops in the year 2013, and by the end of 2015 they will be outselling both laptops and desktop PCs combined.
Why? Well, first of all, the amazing success of the Internet has led to the decline of the traditional PC in the marketplace. The web now allows many tasks that used to only be possible using software running on a “real computer” to be completed in the “cloud”, making the need for a fully equipped PC obsolete for the average user.
Not counting the ones used at work, most computers these days are used primarily for surfing the Internet, sending and receiving email, and chatting, all of which can be done quite easily and efficiently on a tablet. [Read more…]
Question from Ken B.: Rick, I turned my computer on this morning (Dell XPS 15 laptop w/Windows 7) and my desktop was blank. After it booted up everything on the desktop was missing, including the Recycle Bin, the Computer icon and all of my shortcuts. I don’t know what happened to make then disappear, but I desperately need them back ASAP.
Can you please tell me how to get all of my desktop icons and shortcuts back without reinstalling everything? I’ll be indebted to you for life my friend! Thanks in advance for you help.
Rick’s answer: [Read more…]
Question from Karan F.: Hi Rick. I hope you can help me. I have a close friend who finally got around to creating a Facebook account after much prodding from me and a couple of her other friends. We exchanged several messages a few nights ago, then I logged off and went to bed.
When I logged back into Facebook the next day, I opened our previous conversation and tried messaging her again. I couldn’t. The previous messages were still there, but her name was in black. I tried clicking on her name so I could message her from her profile page, but it wouldn’t click.
Finally, in desperation I searched for her name in the search box and it said it couldn’t find her account. I called her to ask what was going on and she said she didn’t know but she couldn’t log in. Sorry, I know this is long but I really need to find out what’s going on? Do you have any clue as to what might have happened?
Rick’s answer: [Read more…]
Question from Amir H.: I just bought a new computer and on the back is a switch labeled 120V/240V. What is this switch used for and do I need to change it? Thank you.
Rick’s answer: Hi Amir. The switch you’re asking about is used to select the proper input voltage for the computer’s power supply unit (PSU).
Here in North America the power that comes out of a standard wall outlet is roughly 120 volts AC, but in many places around the world it is twice that (approximately 240 volts AC). The red switch on the back of the PSU needs to be set to match the output voltage of the wall outlets where you happen to live. [Read more…]