Music

I love listening to music on my computer. I've taken my entire CD collection and imported it into iTunes. No iPod required. I can sort by artist, album, song name, genre and more. I can even make playlists. That means I can take songs from different CDs and put them on one CD together. Then I can play that CD in the car or at a party.

Here's my latest CD purchase:

Shopping online: The Amazon Shop

You know I much I enjoy the show, Glee.
Well, there is a Christmas album coming out and I ordered it on Amazon.com
Here are some quick picks from my Amazon shopping list:

Web Search in an Instant with Google Instant

I'm a Google fan. Are you? There seems to be something new every week. This week the new Google feature is called Google Instant.  Google Instant is a new search enhancement that shows results as you type. The most obvious change is that you get to the right content much faster than before because you don’t have to finish typing your full search word, or even press “search.” Another shift is that seeing results as you type helps you come up with a better search term by providing instant feedback. You can now adapt your search right away until the results match exactly what you want.  (source http://www.google.com/instant/#utm_campaign=launch&utm_medium=hpp&utm_source=US)

1. Go to www.google.com
2. In the Google search box, begin typing a keyword.  For example, type the letter W.
3. The Google screen changes instantly to show you the top web site matches for the letter W.
4. You can see that 'weather.com' is the top match for the letter W.
5. Now type the letter A.
6. You can see that walmart.com is the top match for the letters WA.
7. Now press backspace to erase the letter A and type the letter I.
8. You can see that wikipedia.com is the top match for the letters WI.
9. And so on.....
10. To turn off Google Instant, click the Search Settings link in the upper right corner of the screen.
11. Scroll down through the settings and find the button for Google Instant.
12. Click the button for Do Not Use Google Instant.
13. Scroll down and click Save Preferences in the bottom right corner of the screen.
14. This will turn off Google Instant and return you to the old way of searching with Google.

To find out more about ways to effectively search the internet, check out the latest class schedule at The PC Teacher.  Send an email to Betsy and request your own topic.  Get a small group of friends together and learn at the same time!  You'll find you can learn quickly in a small class setting located in Ramsey, NJ.

Happy clicking, 

Betsy Sabatini Coyne

The PC Teacher

www.thepcteacher.com

bcoyne@thepcteacher.com

Need help with your computer?

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Facebook "is going" Places

Have you heard?  Facebook has a new feature called Places.  It's a feature that allows you to see where your friends are and share your location with them.  You'll be able to see if any of your friends are currently "checked in" nearby and connect with them easily.  To learn more about this feature, sign up for a Facebook class with The PC Teacher (Helping You Click with Technology in Ramsey).  Click here for more information: www.thepcteacher.com or to sign up for a class click here

You can check into nearby Places to tell your friends where you are, tag your friends in the Places you visit, and view comments your friends have made about the Places you visit. Use Places to experience connecting with people on Facebook in a completely new way. (Facebook Help Manual)


The Places feature is available to users in the United States with mobile access to the Facebook application for iPhone or touch.facebook.com. Places will be available to other mobile devices and the internet in the future. Please make sure that you are using the most up-to-date software version for your iPhone, Android, or mobile device or the Places application may not function properly. Alternatively, you can access the Places application through your device’s web browser by following these steps:

1. In your browser go to http://touch.facebook.com.
2. Tap the Places tab.
3. When you are prompted to share your location, tap "Share Location."

To check in at a Place:

1. Access the Places application on your mobile device.
2. Click "Check In."
3. Select the Place where you are from the Nearby Places list. If you don't see the Place name, type the name of the Place where you are into the "Search Nearby Places" box. Alternatively, you can toggle the left-right arrows on the right of the search box to display lists of other Nearby Places.
4. Write an optional description of what you are doing at the Place where you are checking in. You can also tag your friends at the Place where you are.
5. Click the "Check In" button again to share your visit.

You control and own all of the information you contribute to Facebook, including your Places information. You decide how you share it and who gets to see it. Your location is never automatically shared: not when you use your mobile device, not when you use the Facebook application and not when you use the Places feature. Your location is only ever shared when you check in to a Place. You have full control over whether and with whom you share your check-ins.   This is how to adjust those settings:

From the Facebook page, click on Account in the upper right corner of the screen then click Privacy Settings then at the bottom click Customize Settings.

In the "Customize settings" section of the screen, simply select the drop-down box next to "Places I check in to" to control who you share that information with and select one of the four recommended settings: Everyone, Friends and Networks, Friends of Friends, or Friends Only. Alternatively, you can make the locations you check in to visible to or hidden from specific people by clicking "Custom."  (If you don't want anyone to see where you are checked in to then set Custom to Only Me)

A little lower down on the screen, in the "Things Others Share" section, you can also control whether or not your friends can check you in to a Place by selecting "Enable" or "Disable" in the box next to "Friends can check me in to Places." Just as with photos, your friends can tag you at Places they check into. You can always remove your name when a friend tags you.

For more information on how to use Facebook, Places or to change your Privacy Settings, contact the The PC Teacher or check out our website at: www.thepcteacher.com

Happy clicking,

Betsy Sabatini Coyne

The PC Teacher

201-327-0830

www.thepcteacher.com

The PC Teacher

1000-B Lake Street, Ramsey, NJ  07446

August 14, 2010

updated 8/10/10, 9:30pm

Song credits:
"She's a Butterfly" - Martina McBride
"I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz
"Marry Me" - Train

Gone MAC

Today, The PC Teacher taught a group of public school teachers how to use Office for MAC.  That's using PowerPoint, Word and Excel on a MAC.  It looks similar to a Windows PC yet different in many ways.

In PowerPoint and Word, you use palettes instead of toolbars to access formatting options such as font type, size, color, etc.

On the keyboard, you use the Command key instead of the Ctrl key to access shortcuts for Copy, Cut, Paste, Bold, Italic, Underline and Print.

When inserting clipart, the clip gallery displays in its own window.  Use the Online button to get to Microsoft.com and search for clipart for thousands on the web.  Or use the Object palette to view clipart that you insert from your personal collection.

Office for MAC 2008


Happy clicking,
Betsy

The PC Teacher

Tag Your Friends in your Facebook Status

A very popular feature on Facebook is tagging, which gives you the ability to identify people in photos, videos and notes. 


Facebook has added another way to tag people and other things you're connected to on Facebook.  You can tag a person in your status updated.

People often update their status to express their thoughts, mention things they did or who they did them with. Sometimes that includes referencing friends, groups or even events they are attending — for example, you might post the following: "Having lunch with Betsy Coyne" or "I'm heading to a class at The PC Teacher - looking forward to learning how to use my computer!".

When you are writing a status update and want to add a friend's name to something you are posting, just include the "@" symbol before their name. When you begin to type the letters spelling what you would like to reference, a drop-down menu appears allowing you to choose from your list of friends and other connections, including groups, events, applications and Pages. The "@" symbol does not show up in the published status update or post after you've added your tags.

(image courtesy of http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php)


Friends you tag in your status updates will receive a notification and a Wall post linking them to your post. They also will have the option to remove tags of themselves from your posts. 


To learn more about Facebook, attend a class with The PC Teacher in Ramsey, NJ.


For more information, check out the calendar of events.


Happy clicking,
Betsy
The PC Teacher
bcoyne@thepcteacher.com

Spring/Summer Classes at The PC Teacher

Click on a day in the calendar below (or to the right) to view computer classes offered by The PC Teacher, Ramsey, NJ

Click the arrow next to the month to view future class dates.

Click on the Register Now button to sign up online.

Happy clicking,
Betsy Sabatini Coyne
The PC Teacher
bcoyne@thepcteacher.com

Sell Tickets through Eventbrite

From Blogger to Facebook

When you are using programs that are internet-based, things change from time to time.  A year ago I set up this blog to automatically send posts to my facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/betsythepcteacher)

Today I realized that the posts were no longer being sent to Facebook or Twitter.  Everyone needs to do a little troubleshooting.  Even The PC Teacher.

Happy Clicking,

Betsy Sabatini Coyne
The PC Teacher

Google Doodle Logos

If you misssed the interactive PAC-MAN Google Logo, check out this website:

http://www.google.com/logos/

You can browse Google's Doodle Logos from the past.

Happy clicking,

Betsy Sabatini Coyne

The PC Teacher

http://www.thepcteacher.com/

Pac-Man: 1 player or 2 player

Today is the last day to enjoy the Google Logo: an interactive PAC-MAN game to celebrate it's 30th anniversary.

Did you notice the Insert Coin button? 
Go to http://www.google.com/

1. Click the Insert Coin button (where the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button usually is located)
2. or wait 10 seconds and the game begins.
3. Use your arrow keys on your computer keyboard to move Pac-Man around the screen.
4. or Click the Insert Coin button a second and Ms. Pac-Man appears!
5. Now the game is 2-player!
6. Player one is Pac-Man: use your arrow keys to move your player up, down, left, right
7. Player two is Ms. Pac-Man: use your W,A,S,D keys to move your player up (w), down (s), left (a) and right (d).
8. Stay away from the red, pink, yellow, and turquoise ghosts.  They will eat you and the game is over.
9. Pac-Man eats up the dots on the screen to earn points.
10. Earn extra points by eating the ghosts when the turn blue!  But you must chase them before they turn back into their original colors.

As always, happy clicking......

Betsy Sabatini Coyne
The PC Teacher
http://www.thepcteacher.com/

USB Media Card Reader

During The PC Clique held last week, we discussed methods for transferring your photos from digital camera to your computer.  The PC Clique is a technology support group held every 3rd Thursday of the month in Ramsey, NJ.   For more info: http://www.thepcteacher.com/

Below is a link describing the media card reader we were discussing.  This type of reader is great for transferring photos from your digital camera to your computer.  The type below is compatible with the Secure Digital (SD) card as well as the MultiMediaCard (MMC) type.  This type of card reader is small and fits in your pocket..



Another option is a card reader that fits all types of media cards.   These types usually come with a cable and are slightly bigger than the one above.

How to Rent a Movie with iTunes

How to rent a movie from the iTunes Store on your computer

iTunes can be downloaded to a PC and is compatible with Windows.

You can use iTunes even if you don't own an iPod or iPad.

1.In iTunes on your computer, click iTunes Store.Some of the newer computers out there, usually the smaller ones, are starting to appear on the market without CD or DVD drives.  This is a convenient way to watch a movie on-the-go if you don't have a DVD drive to play a movie from disk. 

 

2.In the iTunes Store, search for a movie that you want to rent.

 

3.Click Rent. Your movie will begin to download immediately.

 

Once the movie is downloaded, you can watch it on your computer.  If you own an iPod, iPad or Apple TV, you can transfer the rental and take it with you commuting or on vacation.

To transfer the rental:

 

1.Connect the device and select it in iTunes.

 

2.Click the Movies tab (for iPod), or the Videos tab (iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV)

 

3.Select the movie, and then click Move.

 

4.After all movies have been moved, click Apply in the lower right corner of iTunes.

 

You must be connected to the Internet to transfer a rented movie.

1. After you transfer a rental, it is removed from your iTunes library.
2. You can move the movie between devices as many times as you wish during the rental period, but the movie can only be played on one device at a time.
4. You have 30 days to watch your movie and 24 hours after you've started viewing to finish.
5. Once you start watching your movie, you can watch it as many times as you want during the 24-hour period.
6. iTunes version 9.0 is needed in order for you to rent movies.
7. If you don't watch your rented movie, it will expire in 30 days and disappear from your iTunes library.

Do You Have Backup ?

You should perform regular backups of your system and keep multiple backups of important, irreplaceable files. Without multiple backup copies of your files, your files do not exist anywhere except on your computer.

Tip: You should also keep at least one backup copy of your important files in a different physical location (that is, an "offsite" location). An easy backup method is to copy important files to an external hard drive or USB flash drive and store these disks in a fire box or safe deposit box.

  

How to Use a USB Flash Drive to Backup a copy of your files

(Windows computer)

1. NEVER work on documents directly from your flash drive. It is best practice to first copy the document to your computer, make changes to the document from the local computer, when finished copy the file back to the USB flash drive.
2. Instructions on how to do this can be found below.

If the flash drive is removed improperly or files are worked on directly from the flash drive, flash drive corruption can occur. If flash drive corruption occurs, some or all files on the flash drive could be lost. This is why it is important to follow all instructions carefully.

 

How to copy files to a USB Flash drive from your Computer:

1. Insert USB flash drive into any available USB port on your computer
2. Locate the file or folder on your computer that you would like to copy to the flash drive.
3. Right-click the file
4. Highlight “Send to”
5. Select “Removable Disk (“Drive letter:)”
6. After following the Steps above, Please DO NOT do not immediately remove the flash drive from the USB port. Follow the instructions under “Properly Removing Flash Drive from Computer:”

Checking to Make Sure File was Copied to Flash Drive:

1. Double-click My Computer
2. Double-Click “Removable Disk (“Drive letter:)”

The copied file or folder should appear on the removable disk. From here, it can be placed into a specific folder on the removable disk if desired. If the file is not here, please retry the steps under “How to copy files to a USB Flash drive from your Computer:”

 How to Copy files from a USB Flash Drive to your Computer:

1. Insert USB flash drive into any available USB port on your computer
2. *Note: If the USB flash drive is being used for the first time, Windows may need extra time to install the hardware necessary for the USB drive to function properly. You will know your flash drive is ready for use when you see a message by the clock stating: “Your new hardware has been installed and is ready for use.”
3. Double-click My Computer
4. Double-Click “Removable Disk (“Drive letter:)”
5. Locate the file or folder on your flash drive that you would like to copy to your computer.
6. Right-click the file
7. Highlight “Send to”
8. Select “My Documents”

The copied file or folder should now appear on your computer under the “My Documents” folder. From here, it can be moved to any desired location on your machine. If the file or folder does not appear in the “My Documents” folder, retry the steps under “How to copy files from a USB Flash drive to your Computer:”

After following the Steps above, Please DO NOT do not immediately remove the flash drive from the USB port. Follow the instructions under “Properly Removing Flash Drive from Computer:”

Properly Removing Flash Drive from Computer:

1. Double-click the Remove hardware icon by the clock

2. In the safely Remove Hardware window, Double-click on the “USB Mass storage Device”

3. In the Stop a Hardware device window, click on your USB flash drive (most likely indicated by the title “Generic volume – (Drive letter:)”)

4. Click OK
   
   
5. After seeing the “Safe” statement, you can remove the flash drive from your machine.

Burn a CD or DVD

If your computer includes a CD or DVD recorder, you can copy files to a writeable disc. This process is called burning a disc.

1. 
   
   
   Insert a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R or DVD-RW into your computer's CD or DVD recorder.
2. 
   
   
   In the dialog box that appears, click Burn files to data disc.
3. 
   
   
   In the Burn a Disc dialog box, type a name for this disc, and then click Next.
   It might take several minutes for the disc to be formatted in the default Live File System format. When the formatting is complete, an empty disc folder opens.
4. 
   
   
   Open the folder that contains the files you want to burn, and then drag the files into the empty disc folder.
   

Set the Backup on your Windows computer

You may end up wanting an automatic backup of either everything on your computer or the same set of folders.  To set up a backup in Windows open up Computer (My Computer in Windows XP) and right-click on your local drive and select Properties.  Then click on the Tools tab and click the Back up now button.

Follow the on-screen prompts to select what you are going to backup and where you are going to back it up to.

Backing up using an Online backup service such as Carbonite

Carbonite is an affordable online data backup service for your Mac or PC.  Your computer is filled with irreplaceable files and Carbonite allows automatic, secure backups of an unlimited amount data.  You get a small management program for your computer to set up the backups once and then they run automatically after that.  Recovering you data is a process of a few clicks to get it back.

(check out the PC Teacher website for classes on how to backup in Windows)

As always, happy clicking!

Betsy Sabatini Coyne

The PC Teacher

bcoyne@thepcteacher.com

www.thepcteacher.com

The PC Clique

Dear Clients, Students and Friends, 

 

Sign up in advance for The PC Clique and save $5
This month's topic: Windows Vista/7 Files & Folders

On Thursday, March 18, 2010, The PC Teacher is offering a forum called "The PC Clique".  "The PC Clique" takes place from 9:30-11:00am at The Office Court of Ramsey, NJ.  Click here for directions.

Space is limited so please call or email to reserve a spot.

 

The concept of this "technology support group" is simple; come and spend some time with people who strive, as you do, to keep up with changing technology. 

During the 90-minute forum this month, I will demonstrate how to organize your computer files into folders using Windows Vista or Windows 7.  Following the demonstration, there will be discussion providing you with solutions and ideas on how to implement these techniques into your home or office.

The cost is $10 in advance and $15 at the door.  To pay in advance and save $5:

1. Send your registration form (below) and check (payable to Betsy Coyne) to P.O. Box 281, Ramsey, NJ  07446.
2. From the web, pay online using a PayPal account.  Click here to sign up online.

Next month's PC Clique is on April 15, 2010.  The topic is: MAC vs. Windows-when upgrading which should I choose?

 

Regards,

Betsy Sabatini Coyne

bcoyne@thepcteacher.com

201-327-0830 (office)

201-490-1784 (fax)

__________________________________________________________________________________

The PC Clique: Save $5 and Register in Advance !

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Sign me up for: March 18, 2010     Time: 9:30am-11:00am


Name:____________________________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________________________
Phone:____________________________________________________________

Email:_____________________________________________________________

Mail with your check for $10 payable to Betsy Coyne to:
PO Box 281, Ramsey, NJ  07446
(payment must be received by March 17, 2010)

Where Have All The Photos Gone?

 

About 15 years ago, the first digital camera was available to consumers.  During this time, and especially in the last 5-10 years, many people rely solely on their digital camera to take pictures and record precious memories.  But where have all your photos gone?  How do you get them off your digital camera so that you can print, archive and share?

 

Camera Memory Cards

Has anyone ever shown you where your digital camera stores the photos?  Depending on the brand of camera, the memory card can be located near the battery compartment or underneath a flip-up door located on one side of the camera.  The different types of memory cards for use in digital cameras are:

Secure Digital (SD), CompactFlash (CF), Memory Stick (MS), MultiMediaCard (MMC) xD-Picture Card (xD) and SmartMedia (SM).The type of memory card you use is dictated by which digital camera you buy. These cards are physically different and are not interchangeable. 

When purchasing a memory card for your camera, take notice of the capacity.  Cards usually come with room to store from 2 GB (gigabytes), 4 GB, 8 GB and up.    So how many photos will that hold?  This depends on the quality of your camera and how many megapixels it is able to capture.  A rough estimate for a 4GB memory card is that it will hold approximately 800 photos for an 8 megapixel camera.

 

From Camera to Computer

So, you return home from your family vacation, birthday party or reunion, and you want to get your photos from your digital camera to your computer.  You will need either the camera's USB cord or a card reader (available at most Staples, Best Buy or online at Amazon).  It is recommended that you use a card reader so that you're not using the camera's battery power while you transfer the photos from the camera to the computer.  The card reader plugs into your computer's USB port.  The photos are files on your memory card and are called JPEG (or JPG) files.  I recommend that you copy the files from the memory card to either your My Pictures folder on your computer (using Picasa for Windows PC) or to iPhoto (using a MAC).

 

Printing Your Photos

The benefit of using a digital camera is that you don't have to develop or print all 800 or so photos at once.  You can be selective and just print the photos you need for projects, scrapbooking, gifts or for the fridge or even your wallet!  If you have a quality photo printer, you can print at home.  Make sure you have photo paper on hand and that you set the printer to print at its highest dots per inch (dpi) setting to get the best printing.

You can also take your camera and memory card to the nearest digital photo kiosk.  Many photo stores, pharmacies or grocery stores have these.  Make sure your camera is off when you go to remove the memory card and take good care not to get fingerprints on the gold contacts located on the back or tip of the card.  

As mentioned above, if you use Google's Picasa you can edit, print, share, organize and archive right from your home computer.  If you have a MAC, you can do the same with iPhoto.  Finally, you can choose to upload your photos to one of the following top online printing services (see below) where you can print and share.

Using an Online Photo Service

There are quite a few digital photo printing services around.  The main difference and exceptional quality of online photo printing services comes from the printing supplies and materials available. A professional photo developer can create a more complete and accurate photo than your home photo printer and do so in greater quantities.

Digital photo printing services allow you to upload your digital photos directly to the service website, choose from several print sizes and select a print finish or paper type. A quality digital photo printing service will offer a wide variety of print sizes, ranging from the wallet sized photo all the way to a wall-sized 32 inch x 90 inch print.

The best online services provide a money-back guarantee or will replace prints that you are not satisfied with so you're sure to get your money's worth.
In the growing world of social networking, album sharing has become an important feature offered by online digital photo developers. Album sharing allows you to post your digital photos online, "share" them with family and friends and those you allow access so they can order copies of your digital photo prints.

You can also find some creative, photo-based gift ideas through digital photo printing services like photo books, t-shirts, throws, mugs and calendars.  Whether you're looking for a gift that's fun, classic or unique, digital photo printing services have just what you need.  Click here for a review of the top ten: Snapfish, SmugMug, Kodak, Shutterfly, York, Clark, Photoworks, Walgreens, Winkflash, and MyPhotoPipe.

Archiving Your Photos

Do you have a backup copy of your digital photos?  It is recommended that you print your favorite and most precious photos to archival safe photo paper.  If the only copy of your digital photos exist on the camera's memory card then you are at risk of losing them if that card decides one day that it will not work (very common in the world of electronic media).  Consider purchasing an external hard drive available at most Staples, Best Buy and online at Amazon.com.  A hard drive capacity of approximately 500 GB (gigabytes) will cost about $80.   Many people are deciding to purchase USB flash drives (also known as thumb or jump drives).  A USB flash drive capacity of approximately 4GB will cost about $15.  Look for sales or manufacturer rebates to save dollars on these types of drives. Another option is to copy your photos to CD.  Purchase a supply of CD-R disks.  These allow you to put photos on them but you can't take them off or erase them.  You can also copy your photos to DVD-R disks.  DVDs hold about 4 times as much as a CD but check with your computer's capability and compatibility before you decide to use a DVD. (not all computers have this ability)

For more information and further instruction on how to manage your digital photos, contact The PC Teacher at 201-327-0830 or email Betsy at bcoyne@thepcteacher.com.

If you are in the NY/NJ area, check out my website for class schedules and sign up today to learn more about your digital camera and your computer.  As always, The PC Teacher helps you click with technology.

Betsy Sabatini Coyne
The PC Teacher
bcoyne@thepcteacher.com
www.thepcteacher.com

Facebook's New Face

For those who haven't seen it yet, the Facebook screen has changed.


In the upper left corner next to the Facebook logo, there are 3 new icons: friends, messages and notifications.
In the upper right corner about requests, there is a small menu bar: Home, Profile, Account.

In the middle of your wall to the right of News Feed are two choices: Top News and Most Recent.

In order to log off, you must click Account and then logout.

Regards,
Betsy Sabatini Coyne
The PC Teacher
bcoyne@thepcteacher.com
www.thepcteacher.com

Roman Numerals: Google For Kids

Have you used the internet yet to find an answer to your child, grandchild, niece or nephew's question?

Tomorrow, February 7, 2010, at Super Bowl XLIV, the New Orleans Saints take on the Indianapolis Colts at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Florida.  My 11-year-old son asked me the other day to explain the Roman Numerals that are displayed at the end of the Super Bowl title. As a parent I challenged myself to find a thorough answer for my son.  As a computer consultant, I turned to the internet.

I remembered that X = 10 and L = 50 but I couldn't remember if I'm supposed to add those or subtract them.  When looking for the answer to a question, I enter the search criteria into a Google search box.  I "googled" the term XLIV and found the following webpage:

http://www.novaroma.org/via_romana/numbers.html

The website gave me a brief overview:

"The Romans were active in trade and commerce, and from the time of learning to write they needed a way to indicate numbers. The system they developed lasted many centuries, and still sees some specialized use today.

Roman numerals traditionally indicate the order of rulers or ships who share the same name (i.e. Queen Elizabeth II). They are also sometimes still used in the publishing industry for copyright dates, and on cornerstones and gravestones when the owner of a building or the family of the deceased wishes to create an impression of classical dignity. The Roman numbering system also lives on in our languages, which still use Latin word roots to express numerical ideas. A few examples: unilateral, duo, quadricep, septuagenarian, decade, milliliter.
The big differences between Roman and Arabic numerals (the ones we use today) are that Romans didn't have a symbol for zero, and that numeral placement within a number can sometimes indicate subtraction rather than addition."

There is also a handy converter.  Type your roman numeral in the box and it returns the answer.

XLIV = 44

Happy clicking,

Betsy Sabatini Coyne
The PC Teacher
bcoyne@thepcteacher.com
http://www.thepcteacher.com/

PC Running Slow?

(Portions taken from"Optimize Windows Vista for better performance", http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Optimize-Windows-Vista-for-better-performance)

No matter how fast computers might be when they are new, they all seem to get slower over time. That speedy PC that you bought last year might not feel like it's running so fast anymore after you install a dozen programs, load it with antispyware and antivirus tools, and download untold amounts of junk from the Internet. The slowdown might happen so gradually you hardly notice it, until one day you’re trying to open a program and wonder, "What happened to my poor PC?" Whatever the cause, there are a lot of ways to help speed up Windows and make your PC work better. Here are some tips to help you optimize Windows for faster performance:

• Delete programs you never use



• Limit how many programs load at startup



• Defragment your hard drive



• Clean up your hard disk



• Run fewer programs at the same time



• Turn off visual effects



• Try restarting if there's a problem



• Add more memory



• Check for viruses and spyware



• Check your computer’s speed



• Check for updates from the manufacturer



• Don’t settle for slow

Delete programs you never use
Many PC manufacturers pack their new computers with programs you didn’t order and might not want. These often include trial editions of programs that companies hope you will try, find useful, and then pay to upgrade to full versions. If you decide you don’t want them, keeping the software on your computer might slow it down by using precious memory, disk space, and processing power.
It’s a good idea to uninstall all the programs you don’t plan to use. This should include both manufacturer-installed software and software you installed yourself but don’t want anymore—especially utility programs designed to help manage and tune your computer’s hardware and software. Utility programs such as virus scanners, disk cleaners, and backup tools often run automatically at startup, quietly running in the background where you can’t see them. Many people have no idea they are even running. (if you have many icons down by the clock in the lower right corner of your screen then you may want to read further)

Even if your PC is older, it might contain manufacturer-installed programs that you never noticed or have since forgotten about. It’s never too late to remove these and get rid of the clutter and wasted system resources. Maybe you thought you might use the software someday, but never did. Uninstall it and see if your PC runs faster.
You can uninstall a program from your computer if you no longer use it or if you want to free up space on your hard disk. You can use Programs and Features to uninstall programs or to change the program's configuration by adding or removing certain options. NOTE: Once you uninstall a program it is permanently removed. You must have the original CD to re-install.

1. Open Programs and Features by clicking the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Programs, and then clicking Programs and Features.


2. Select a program, and then click Uninstall.
   

Limit how many programs load at startup
Many programs are designed to load automatically when Windows starts. Software manufacturers often set their programs to open in the background, where you can’t see them running, so they’ll open right away when you click their icons. That's helpful for programs you use a lot, but for programs you rarely or never use, this wastes precious memory and slows down the time it takes Windows to finish loading.

Decide for yourself if you want a program to load at startup.
But how can you tell what programs load automatically at startup? Sometimes this is obvious, because the program will add an icon to the notification area on the taskbar (the bottom right corner near the clock), where you can see it running.

Look there and see if there are any programs running that you don’t want to load automatically. Position your mouse over each icon to see the program name. Be sure to click the Show hidden icons button so you don’t miss any icons.

Where Have All The Menus Gone?

One of the challenges of "clicking" with technology is keeping up with the changes. Every year either a new handheld gadget, desktop PC, laptop, or netbook comes out and with those come new software applications.

For example, if you purchased a new computer in the last year and requested Microsoft Office to come pre-installed (or if you purchased the software separately) you quickly realize that the latest version out there, Office 2007, has changed significantly. For those new to Office, it is a combination of programs: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and depending on your version, sometimes it comes with Outlook, Publisher and Access.

Word 2007 is your word processor for doing basic typing of letters, reports, and also adding graphics and photos so you can create flyers, advertisements, brochures, and newsletters.

Many of the computer lessons I give, whether in a classroom or one-on-one, involve questions about this latest version of Word. If you were using the older version of Word (Word 2003) then you became comfortable using the File menu to open, save and print your documents. But first look at Word 2007 and sure enough the File menu is gone! It's been replaced with what's called the Ribbon Bar.

To open a file using Word 2007:

1. Click the Office Button in the top left corner of your screen (circular button looks like the Microsoft Office icon)
2. Click Open then navigate to where your files are saved and double-click the file to open it.

To save a file using Word 2007:

1. Click the Office Button in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Click Save if you want to save the file in the new Word 2007 format (most computers that don't have the new Word program installed will not be able to read this format).
3. Click Save As if you want to save the file in a compatible Word format so that any computer running Word can read the file.
4. Select Word Document 97-2003 to save the file in the compatible format.

To print a file using Word 2007:

1. Click the Office Button in the top left corner of your screen.
2. Click Print then select print from the menu. Make sure your printer is selected.

To register for a class or one-on-one lesson to learn the 2007 version of Microsoft Office, check out The PC Teacher website: www.thepcteacher.com

Regards,

Betsy Sabatini Coyne

The PC Teacher

"Helping You Click With Technology"

Wires, Cables and Cords Oh My !

I love it when I get a new tech gadget. I can't wait to read the manual and figure out how to use it! I suppose that's why I'm in this line of business. I love to figure out how to use electronics and computer equipment. These days there's a lot to keep up with. Did you get a new tech gadget as a gift over the holidays? Maybe a new digital camera, camcorder, Flip Video camera or iPOD. Possibly a new smartphone or PDA (such as iPhone, BlackBerry or Palm) has replaced your old phone. Or even a new flatscreen t.v. or video game console such as Wii, XBox or Play Station. Not to mention the extra cords that come with desktop computers, laptops and netbooks.

What do you do with the cords once everything is set up? Even though I enjoy figuring out how to use my new tech gadgest, part of the challenge for me is organizing the cords so that they store safely under the desk or behind the cabinet. Another challenge is remembering where I put all the extra cords when it comes time to charge, transfer or synchronize.

A good solution for keeping all your tech gadget cords close is to use a charging station. Usually a nice looking wood box that comes equipped with a powerstrip built inside. All your charger powercords are stored nicely and ready to use when it comes time to charge.

Another good solution I learned from my friend, Jean Marie Herron, owner of POSSE Partners LLC, (Professional Organizing Solutions Serving Everyone), is to label the cords as soon as I take them out of the packaging.

Jean Marie Herron is the expert I turned to when I needed to organize the equipment in my classroom and office. Jean Marie says, " As soon as you get a new electronic gadget, label the cords with either a professional label maker or even simple white mailing labels from a store such as Staples. Then give the item a "home" so you always know where to find your power chargers, camera, camcorder, and iPod USB cords as well as BlackBerry and Palm synchronizing cords. (See photo).





For tidying up cords underneath a desk, screw or hook a power strip underneath your desktop away from foot traffic so you can run your cords up and out of the way into a surge protector.

Utilizing twist ties, rubber bands, wire ties (in every man's tool box) or fancier products, many which are sold in places such as The Container Store (http://www.containerstore.com/search/result.htm?query=cordsare) are simple ways to corral cords. My favorite is the Velcro Cable Ties. They look like a mini-belt and can be adjusted to fit most office needs."

If I label the cords as soon as they come out of the package, I'm more likely to find the right cord when I need to charge, update, synchronize or upload.

For more information on Jean Marie Herron and her inspirational organizing ideas, check out her web page: http://www.possepartnersllc.com/ or search for POSSE Partners, LLC on Facebook and become a fan.

For more information on how to use your USB cords to update, synchronize and upload, check out my website: http://www.thepcteacher.com/ or simply follow the tips online and become a fan on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/betsythepcteacher.

Betsy Sabatini Coyne

The PC Teacher