Smartphone buying tips

A device that is small enough to walk around with in your pocket, yet powerful enough to keep you connected and provide for your entertainment needs?  Who wouldn't want one?

The smartphone has become an essential part of most of our lives in this technology-driven age and with manufacturers constantly pushing the limits as to what these devices can do, it can become a real nightmare when you decides to go shopping for a new one.

Here are some of the things that you should know and consider before parting with your money (not listed in order of priority):

1. Operating system - Android, Window Phone, IOS, Blackberry, Symbian etc. (See here)
2. CPU and GPU specs (if you're an advanced user)
3. Screen size - how big is enough? 3", 3.7", 4 or more?
4. Battery life - will you be able to make it through the day or longer on a single charge
5. Form factor - bar, slider
6. Keyboard - physical or virtual
7. Camera - Front and/or rear facing as well as it's quality
8. Amount of Memory - both RAM and on-board space available for you "stuff" as well as expandability for adding more space through micro SD cards
9. Connectivity - Bluetooth, NFC, 4G, Internet sharing, HDMI etc.
10. Brand - all smartphones are not equal, pay attention to the available options
11. Apps - you do not want to buy a smartphone with limited apps in its ecosystem (see here)

NB: If you're shopping on a budget then you will have to make some compromises.

All about Windows Temp Folders

On your Microsoft Windows-based computer there are several Temp folders.  If you've ever come across any of them you may have noticed that the file names do not make much sense, there are quite a few files in there and in some cases they use up a lot of your hard drive's space.
So what is the purpose of these Temp folders?

1. to temporarily store different bits of data that is being worked on (especially useful for Microsoft Office programs as it facilitates the recovery of your work for sessions that were not ended properly...auto recovery)
2. to store files that are being downloaded, but not yet completed
3. they are necessary for the proper functioning of the certain programs  

Now each time a program that you were using is properly closed, the temporary files that this program would have placed in the Temp folder should be deleted automatically, unfortunately this does not always happen resulting in you losing precious hard drive space.

Is it safe to delete the files in these folders? Yes, although you shouldn't have to as the operating system is designed to take out the trash ever so often, but if you do decide to take matters into your own hands then here's what you can do:

1. Manually select the files and folders in the TEMP folder and delete what you're allowed to delete (some files will be locked to programs that are being used, these you WILL NOT be able to delete)
2. Run the Disk Cleanup utility
3. You can schedule the operating system to clear the temp folder at a time you decide (more on this in a  subsequent post)

Remember you computer WILL RUN FASTER and you hard drive WILL LAST LONGER by you simply getting rid of unnecessary files and folders....see here.

Top Free Antivirus Software

If you own a computer, uses it to browse the World Wide Web, download files and use removable storage devices such as flash drives you NEED antivirus/anti-malware software.

Now the best protection software tend to come at a fair price, but there is a free option (for some "anti-baddies" software) as long as you remember that the free version of a paid program will have limitations.

So even though I will give you my recommendations, know that it's best (and makes sense) to have the full or pro version if you can afford it.  Here is my list with links to the software:

1. Avg Antivirus Free 2013
2. Comodo Antivirus
3. Avira Free Antivirus 2012
4. Microsoft Security Essentials
5. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free 1.51

Just in case you are wondering, I am currently using AVG Internet Security Pro 2013 and Eset Smart Security 5 on my computer systems (and NO! Both of them are not installed on the same machine...lol)

Why update my antivirus software?

An antivirus program is only as good as its virus definitions.  Simply put if your antivirus software cannot recognize the latest threats (which is what up-to-date definitions allow it to do) then it won't be able to protect your computer or the data that is stored on it.

Most persons do not pay much attention to the state of their antivirus until after their system would have been breached by the digital baddies.  To avoid having to pay someone to clean up a mess that was not supposed to have happened in the first place please pay attention to the following simple tips:

1. Ensure that your antivirus software has not expired - if it has, replace it immediately
2. Update the virus definitions as often as the maker of the software puts out updates
3. Do not just close off notifications from your antivirus software - read them, if you're not sure what the message is saying you can search for explanations on the Internet
4. Deal with all threats promptly
5. Should your antivirus recommend you scan your computer scan it
6. Keep in mind that most free antivirus will not be as good as their paid counterpart
7. Finally, remember that no antivirus program is perfect - when using your computer, especially when on the World Wide Web you do have a part to play in your computer's safety.

Repair damaged Windows system files

It can be very frustrating having to deal with error messages on your screen every time you boot up your computer, especially if it happens a lot and you do not understand what is wrong.

One error in particular that can be repaired quite easily is the "missing or corrupted DLL file" error.

Microsoft has the System File Checker utility built into the Windows Operating System which can find and repair damaged or corrupted system files on your Windows-based computer:

1. Launch the command prompt - in Windows Vista/7 click on Start and type cmd. Right mouse click on the cmd entry and choose 'Run as administator".  In Windows XP, go to Start, Run, type cmd and hit enter on the keyboard.
2. Type in sfc /scannow - it will take some time so you may as well go get a glass of juice and a sandwich in the meantime
3. When the scan is complete you should be ok

Even if you're not having an "DLL file missing" errors you can still perform the task...better safe than sorry.

How to download YouTube videos without using software

YouTube has become one of the largest video sharing websites in the world with millions of persons accessing videos on a daily basis.  Sure most persons go there for the silly shows and music videos, but every once in a while i'm sure you'd come across a video that you'd love to download and save on your computer.

There are several free YouTube downloaders out there, but you DO NOT really need them especially since many of them come with additional software, spyware and adware that you definitely will not want on your device.

Here is how you can download from YouTube without installing any software on your computer:

Method 1:

Find the video you want to download and simply place the word kiss in-front the word YouTube in the video URL (on the address bar) 

e.g: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Uslo38WwI&feature=related 

becomes 

http://www.Kissyoutube.com/watch?v=K2Uslo38WwI&feature=related.  

Your browser will ask for permission to run java, grant it permission.  You'll then see different download links for different video-quality of the video, choose the one you prefer and download your video.

Method 2:

Find the video you want to download from YouTube and copy the web address or URL for that video.  Next you can go to any of the websites listed below and paste the copied URL into their designated search bar, select your video quality and you're done (remember to grant java permission to run)

1. Fetch Video (Method 1 accesses this website)
2. Download YouTube Videos
3. Want YouTube
4. Keep Vid
5. Save Vid

Save money - Maintain your computer in ten (10) easy steps

It is much cheaper to maintain your computer system than it is to repair or replace it.  Here are ten (10) steps you should pay attention to:

1. Download and install updates and patches from your computer's manufacturer and operating system (OS) creator
2. Ensure that you HAVE anti-virus software installed and that its definitions are up-to-date especially if your connected to the Internet.  (See here for how often you should scan your computer)
3. Install popup/ad blockers.  Some ads contain spyware, malware and even viruses. (See here)
4. Remove/uninstall software or programs that you do not use
5. Defragment your hard drive.  (See how to here)
6. Move videos/music/pictures etc. that you do not need to have on your hard drive to CDs/DVDs or an external hard drive
7. Scan your hard drive at least once a month for errors.
8. Delete temporary files, cookies and software histories.  Remember to empty your Recycle bin every now and then. (See here)
9. Keep the computer hardware clean.  This includes the monitor, keyboard, tower, mouse and whatever other peripheral devices you may have.
10. Change your passwords at least once every three (3) months. (See here)

Allow Microsoft to help you, click HERE.

Warning! Warning! Warning!

I have noticed in recent times as more and more persons become owners of computers (especially laptops) that many of them are breaking off or removing the earth pin from the power cord of their power adapter.  Now this is not a very wise or healthy practice if you value you computer.

The pin was placed there to ground/earth the computer/device and to help to get rid of any extra volts that might hurt your device - it SHOULD NOT BE BROKEN OFF.

Breaking the earth/ground pin off can lead to failure of components in your device as a result of a build up of extra charges in there and there is also the potential for fires.  It can also lead to the adapters getting much hotter than they should when being used with the laptop.

NB: Some laptops do come with two-pin plugs and that is okay, they are designed differently.  It is NOT the  same thing as you breaking off a pin.

Should you buy a tablet or laptop?

Should I buy a tablet?  If you find yourself having to ask the question, chances are you SHOULD NOT buy one. Still i'm going to point out the pros and cons of tablets just so you'd be better informed to buy the right one for you (if you do decide to).

Pros:

1. Tablets are more portable than even the most ultra-portable laptops
2. They tend to have great battery life
3. They very seldom will crash (unlike laptops and desktops)
4. They are great for watching movies on the go
5. They are great for taking to meetings
6. They make much better e-readers than laptops
7. Because of how light they are they are great for travelling with
8. They have very user-friendly graphical interfaces
9. They are pretty cool to work with

Cons:

1. You will spend less and get more if you buy a laptop as opposed to if you buy a tablet
2. Tablet have limited storage space - the high-end tablets top off at 64GB at present
3. They are not the best of devices to type on without having a physical keyboard
4. Faulty components such as screens and/or digitizers (the part that allows it to recognize your touch) tend to be more expensive to replace than laptop components (in most cases).
5. Tablets have limited screen sizes at present - you will not find a 17 inches tablet as easily as you would find a laptop with that screen size.
6. Tablets cannot be upgraded as easily or as much as laptops can be
7. Should a tablet fall you may find yourself having to buy a new one - they do not play well with concrete or asphalt...lol

BUT did I mention that tablets are really cool?

NB: There are several hybrids in the making and in the coming weeks you will not have to ask, "tablet or laptop?"  You will be able to have the best of BOTH worlds.

Speed up your computer: Clean up your hard drive

Whether it is your tablet, smartphone or personal computer, having unnecessary files stored on it WILL result in a decrease in the performance of the said device.

For your PC, Microsoft has a built in utility called Disk Cleanup which can be used for removing temporary files, emptying the Recycle Bin, and getting rid of a variety of system files, restore points and other items that you no longer need or use.

You can start the Disk Cleanup utility by doing any of the following:

• For Windows Vista & 7 - Click Start and in the Search bar type cleanmgr, and then hit enter on your keyboard.

• For Windows XP - Click Start, then Run, now type in cleanmgr in the open box and then click OK.
  
  
  or

• Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then click Disk Cleanup.

For additional information check out Microsoft's support page

What version of windows are you using?

Most persons know they are running Windows XP, Vista or 7, but few can say whether it is the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the operating system that is installed on their machine.

Here's how you can find out for yourself:

1. Click on Start
2. Right-mouse click on Computer OR My Computer
3. Click on Properties (at the bottom of the menu)
4. In the Window that opens you're looking for 64-bit OR 32-bit (same as x86)

You can also:

1. Click on Start
2. Click on Control Panel
3. Find and click on System
4. In the window that opens you're looking for 64-bit OR 32-bit (same as x86)

NB: If the Operating System you're using is Windows XP then you WILL NOT SEE x86/32-bit. You will know it is 32-bit by the absence of it saying x64 edition.

How to clean LCD screens

From laptop to desktop to smartphones, if it has an LCD screen it will get dirty at some point and even more so if it has touch capability, so how do you get them clean again?

The DO NOTs:

1. Do not use any form of alcohol to clean the screen
2. Do not use chemicals such as Windex or ammonia based solvents
3. Do not spray any liquids on the screen unless it lying flat (you can use commercial LCD cleaners)
4. Do not wash the screen
5. Do not use laundry detergents on the screens
6. Some hard polyester based cloths should be avoided (they can actually help in damaging the surface of the screen)
7. If there is a visible layer/film of dust on the screen DO NOT use a dry cloth to wipe it away (the cloth must be dampened to enable it to "trap" the dust) 

The DOs:

1. Use a dampened piece of lint-free cloth (cotton-based is best) and wipe the screen. Be careful to not use too much force.
2. If you must use a tiny bit of mild soap (hand-soap), place the screen flat and even then use a dampened cloth (not wet) and avoid any liquid getting under the bezel of the screen.

NB:  If there are children in the house try and discourage eating at the computer or using the computer with soiled hands.

Registry tweak: Speed up the Windows Start menu

If your start menu seems to be responding a bit slow when you click on it you can get it to move faster by performing a simple registry tweak (see my post on the registry).

1. Access the registry (here's how)
2. navigate to the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER
3. then Control Panel
4. next Desktop
5. once there double-click on the entry titled MenuShowDelay and change the value in there (default is 400 milliseconds) to 100, for example.
6. Close the registry editor

You should notice a faster response the next time you click the start menu.

Stop pop-up ads in Google Chrome

It is true that most websites make their money by having ads on their webpages and that's ok, but when the advertisement expands and completely blocks me from viewing the webpage i'm on it becomes a problem (to me).

Here's how you can stop these ads from bugging you in Google Chrome:

You can install a really wonderful Google Chrome add-on called Adblock Plus (also available for Firefox browser).

NB:  If you're using Internet Explorer as your browser of choice (smile) you can use Adblock IE, (but it has not been updated for quite some time and will not be as effective as Adblock Plus)

____________
Several persons have asked me (on Facebook instead of using the comments section in the blog) whether or not I actually use the software I recommend on my blog.  Duhhh, of course I DO, that's how I know what works from what is pure crrrr...lol.

Speed up your computer: Remove unwanted fonts

You can boost the performance/speed of your computer by removing the fonts that you do not use or need from your computer.

Most persons do not realize that having tons of fonts on your Windows computer slows it down because all those fonts are loaded into memory/RAM.

To remove some of the gunk you can use AMP Font Viewer which will allow you to view and delete the unwanted Fonts.  It's a small, free program that works with little risk to you.

How to speed up your computer: Defragmenting

Should I defragment my hard drive? What is a fragmented hard drive?

A fragmented hard drive is one where the files are stored in fragments/pieces/segments all over the hard drive instead of being stored as a single block in a single section of the drive.

(Fragmentation happens naturally/normally over time from you saving, deleting and moving files around a bit)

Is fragmentation a problem?

Yes it is.  An overly fragmented hard drive will lead to a decrease in the performance of your computer since the hard drive will have to work harder to find all the scattered segments of your files and programs before being able to open them for use.  Fragmentation will also lead to a decrease in the life span of the said hard drive.

The Cure:

Defragmenting your hard drive ensures that all your files are stored in single contiguous blocks on your hard drive which in turns reduces its workload leading to it speeding up in accessing your files.  Defragmenting the hard drive will also reduce its operational temperature and increase its life span.

Accessing the utility:

Click Start → All Programs → Accessories → System Tools → Disk Defragmenter

Now:

1. Have the utility analyze your hard drive
2. If the hard drive needs to be defragmented it would give you a message to that effect
• Choose defragment if it's recommended
• Close the utility if your hard drive is not fragmented

You may have to turn off or disable your virus protection software in some case

NB: Defragmenting SSD (Solid State Drives) WILL SHORTEN their lifespan.

How to get Free Kindle Books

The Amazon Kindle is an eReader (the Kindle Fire Line is different) and is pretty useless without having a few good eBooks or eMagazines on it to read.  Sure, Amazon gives you a few books free every now and then and you can even find quite a few on Amazon's website, but you can get a whole lot more for free - here's how:

1. Pixelofink have FREE as well well as great deals on Kindle eBooks
2. Inspiredreads will provide you with all the Christian and other faith-inspired books you need
3. Amazon helps in the searching as well
4. You can use websites such as Filestube or 4Shared to search for the books you're interested in (adding mediafire or rapidshare after the name of the book's title or author's name will help as well)

Very Important: If you see a free Kindle book that you want, it's best to get it as soon as you can.  The prices often will change and it's difficult to tell how long that book will remain free.  Also pay attention to the price; if you're downloading a free Kindle book from Amazon's website verify that the book is still free by making sure the price is $0.00.

Truth be told, there are many, many more websites and ways of finding free e-contents for your Amazon Kindle and i'm sure over time you'll find a few ways of your own,  but it's important to remember that authors  MUST eat too and it does not hurt every once in a while to BUY AN E-BOOK too.

Please comment below if you have a website that was not mentioned in the post that will help others to get the free goodies.

Keyboard Tip #015

Ctrl + Backspace will allow you to delete/remove an entire word at a time in Microsoft Word.

Keyboard Tip #014

Press Ctrl and click anywhere on a sentence to select the entire sentence in Microsoft Word

Simple steps to strong passwords

Nothing digital is 100% secure.
Your digital security is only as good as the ability of the person trying to hack you.

So the question is this: how do you create the strongest password possible?

Follow these simple steps to creating a strong password:

1. Take a line in one of your favorite songs for example "old pirates yes they rob I sold I to the merchant ships" and use the first letter in each word in that line.  In my example that gives me OPYTRISITTMS
2. Substitute numbers for letters where possible, therefore  OPYTRISITTMS = 0PYTR151TTMS
3. You can also use symbols 0PYTR151TTM$
4. and you're done

Remember:

1. Never write down your password
2. DO NOT use the same password for all your accounts
3. Change your password at least once every 3 months
4. Use a mixture of letters, numbers and punctuations in your password
5. Do not use the names of persons or things close to you or information that is well known by others
6. Let the hints be hints and nothing more

Most importantly: A good password should be easy for you to remember but very difficult for others to guess.

UPDATE: DO NOT use naturally occurring keyboard sequences (such as “qwerty” or "asdfgh" for example)

My thoughts on the Kindle Fire HD vs Nexus 7

As I would have stated in a previous post, "there is no perfect tablet" and the same things can be said about Amazon's newest gems - "the new family of Kindle" to put it as they would have put it.
True, the new Kindles are not perfect, but they have made me look and this is much more than what several other tablet-makers have been able to do.
First off let me say that "on paper" they do look pretty amazing and it won't be until Amazon would have started shipping them that we will be able to tell just how good or bad they are when "paper-specs" meet "real world tech-needs".

That aside, here are my thoughts:

The new Kindle Fire HD (7 inches) is no Nexus 7 killer (although based on what is currently available in that size range it does come close in my mind)

• The Kindle Fire HD doubles up in storage space (16GB instead of the Nexus 7's 8GB -$199.00 models) (something Google and Asus should have thought about), something which is very important when dealing with HD content (including HD apps)
• The Kindle Fire HD packs a dual core processor while the Nexus 7 packs four cores (quad core).  Now I must admit that for most basic, daily activities dual core processors are more than enough, but for the gaming freaks out there the quad core would make more sense.  You should also consider the fact that the more cores you have the speedier the device would be but the more battery/power hungry it would be as well, which is one of the reasons for the Kindle having a slightly better battery life (Kindle's 11 hours vs Nexus 7's 9 hours)
• If you're interested in a pure Android experience with "real" Play Store support then the Nexus 7 would be the way to go.  The Nexus 7 would also handle Android better than the Kindle Fire HD would spec-wise and then you must remember that Android =  Google = Nexus 7
• The New Kindle Fire HD will be running on Android 4.0 (ICS) while the Nexus 7 runs the newer Android 4.1 (jelly bean)
• The Kindle Fire HD should also be better at WiFi reception with it new dual receivers, (not that the Nexus 7 does not do a pretty good job as well).
• Both tablets have camera with similar capabilities so to me that's not a big issue

Personally, I believe that the Nexus 7 is a better tablet for the tech-savy persons out there (myself included...lol) but the Kindle Fire HD is not a bad choice either if you prefer space and battery life instead of speed and smoothness.  The Kindle Fire HD is a great "first tablet" (or second).

Here are my thoughts on the Nexus 7

Update: I should also mention that the Kindle Fire HD running a custom ROM like Cyanogen Mod 10 would come very close to being unstoppable.

Keyboard Tip #013

In Microsoft Excel you can add a new line of text in a cell by simply hitting ALT + Enter

Keyboard Tip #012

Try the Windows Key + Tab,  it's a whole lot more fun than using Alt + Tab

Keyboard Tip #011

In Microsoft Word you can use Ctrl + The left or Right arrow keys to scroll from word to word instead of from character to character.

Keyboard Tip #010

Use the Windows key + L to lock your desktop instead of going the long way of Ctrl-Alt-Del

Keyboard Tip #009

Windows Key + M – Minimize all open windows while
Windows Key + Shift + M – will Maximize them again

Keyboard Tip #008

Open the Windows Explorer (My Computer) by pressing the Windows Key + E

Keyboard Tip #007

Hit F5 on your keyboard to refresh the web page you're on in your favorite web browser.

Keyboard Tip #006

To return to a previously viewed webpage in any Web Browser you can hit the backspace key

Update: you can also use Alt + the left arrow key to move back to where you came from OR Alt + the right arrow key to move forward

Keyboard Tip #005

In Microsoft Windows (all versions) Alt + F4 will close just about any open Windows or application.

Keyboard Tip #004

Pressing Alt + D on your keyboard while using your favorite web browser (Google Chrome, Internet Explorer etc.) will take you to its address bar without you having to use the mouse to highlight it or get you there.

NB: This keyboard combination works even in Windows Explorer (My Documents, My Computer etc.) as well.

Keyboard Tip #003

When browsing a webpage you can use the Space Bar to scroll down one screen-full and use Shift + the Space Bar to move back up one screen-full.

Keyboard Tip #002

Hide ALL open windows by simply using the Windows key + the letter "D":

+ D


Using the same key combination will restore the minimized windows

What is Windows Registry?

The registry is a very powerful database that contains the information/configurations necessary for both hardware and software components to function properly on your Windows based computer.  It also dictates how a user gets to interact with both hardware and software components to a certain extent.

The registry can be seen as the brain behind the brain in your computer.

If the registry becomes corrupted or (worst yet) is deleted it can render the entire computer system unusable.

Accessing the Registry:

The registry can be easily accessed in Windows Vista & 7 by typing regedit in the search area of the start menu

OR

In Windows XP by typing regedit in the Run option on the left side of the start menu.







NB:  YOU SHOULD NOT PLAY AROUND IN THE REGISTRY unless you know exactly what you're doing.

It's just as important to note that your computer's registry will (over time) end up with several invalid entries left behind by programs you uninstalled; programs which, due to their design may not have removed all the files and entries they had created when first installed and this can lead to a decrease in your computer's performance and pop-up error messages of invalid file paths among other things.

I AM NOT RECOMMENDING ANY REGISTRY CLEANERS since even the self-acclaimed best ones tend to want to remove registry entries that SHOULD NOT BE REMOVED.  It is much safer to have a knowledgeable technician perform the registry cleaning for you OR you can just simply LEAVE IT ALONE!

Keyboard Tip #001

If the text on any website you're viewing is too small for comfort you can simply use the following keyboard keys to get them bigger (or you can even make them smaller):

• Zoom in - CTRL + the addition sign
• Zoom out - CTRL + the subtraction sign

Feedback Please

Please comment the various posts (accordingly) and let me know if the tip/fixes etc. are working for you.
For instance the speeding up of the Internet access speed or even the boosting of your WiFi signal for cheap, it would be nice to know if you tried it/them and what your experience was like.

It's all about ensuring that the blog achieves it intended goal of making persons more tech-independent and tech-savvy ad being accurate with its solutions.

Speed up your Internet connection

Did you know that by simply resetting your Internet router/modem you could see an improvement in your access speeds?

True!!  

You can try resetting your broadband/DSL/ADSL (or whatever you want to call it...lol) router or modem to try and get a better Internet connection than the one you may have at any given moment, especially if your current connection is toooo sloooooww.

You can even try turning off OR unplugging the router for a minute or two before turning it back on - it sounds simple, but it works (though not 100% of the time because of other variable involved).

Power strips and surge protectors are not the same thing

Did you know that power strips and surge protectors are not the same thing?  Sure, they may resemble each other (like siblings often do), but they are completely different in terms of their functionality.

Here goes:

1. Surge protectors are designed to protect your devices from spikes or surges in your electrical supply while a power strip simply gives you additional sockets to plug your devices into
2. A Surge protector is more expensive and will guarantee you protection up to a specified monetary amount in it's documentation.  POWER STRIPS DO NOT GUARANTEE ANYTHING!!
3. Should there be a spike in your electrical line's voltage due to lightening or some other abnormal power demands along your supply line, your devices could very well be as good as dead if ONLY connected on a power strip.

Protect your electronic investments.  Spend a few dollars more and get the proper thing - A GOOD surge protector.

Surge protector buying guide

Restarting your computer helps your computer

Some persons believe that restarting their computer will cause damage and or wear it out resulting in it stopping work before its time - THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!
Restarting your computer at least once or twice a day is ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOUR COMPUTER.

Here are the reasons:

1. Some devices and programs may malfunction (as they often would) and the first "fix" is restarting the computer which allows them to try and sort themselves out (especially software related glitches)
2. As you use your computer temporary or TEMP files and SWAP files are generated.  Now these files are necessary for  allowing you to do what you're doing, but they take up space and can bog down the system especially since some of them are not gotten rid of by simply closing the application but ONLY by RESTARTING the computer.
3. You may have uninstalled or installed a program and the only way of completing the process is by restarting the system, SO RESTART IT!

NB: About once or twice a day...too much of anything is good for nothing.

Disabling UAC (User Account Control)

One of the biggest bothers in Windows Vista and 7 has to be User Account Control (UAC).  Sure it was designed to help prevent unauthorized changes from being made to your computer by getting permission from a Administrator (most likely you) before carrying out whatever the intended change is supposed to be - and that's a good thing, but it can be very irritating when you find yourself constantly having to say "Yes I want the following changes to be made...blah blag blah"

So how do we remedy this nuisance?

1. Go the the Control Panel
2. Click on User Accounts
3. Click on Change User Account Control Settings
4. Move the slider to your desired "bug me" level or you can turn it off completely

NB: This DOES NOT make any major difference in your PC security level

Get Email Notification in your System Tray

If you'd like to be notified whenever you receive a new email you can give POPpeeper a try.  It is a small, free, email-notification program that sits in your system tray (by the clock on the right side of your taskbar).

 allows you to add as many email accounts as you'd like (colour coding them) with options to read, respond, forward or delete the new email without you having to check your individual inboxes (Hotmail, Yahoo and Gmail).

All about all-in-one computers

The computer market these days is flooded with different makes and models of personal computer which can make the task of choosing the right PC for you a very frustrating one.  There are laptops, netbooks, ultrabooks  tablet, phablet, desktops and now the insurgence of the all-in-one to choose from.

What is an All-in-one PC?

It is a compact personal computer with an integrated monitor which is designed to consume less power and take up less space than a regular, typical desktop computer.  It houses all its components (apart from the mouse and keyboard) in a single case and tends to run very quiet.  It can also double up as an excellent media center system in your living room (or bedroom).
It's also important to note that several of the all-in-ones available on the market today also sport touchscreen capability.

Are they any good?

Yes!  But as with anything tech the pros and cons must be carefully weighed before spending your hard earned cash

PROS:

1. The are compact and require little space for set up
2. The consume less power then regular desktop computers
3. The are extremely easy to setup
4. They are crazy stylish
5. Easier to relocate in your home or office than the regular desktop
6. Can double up as a media center
7. Some can be used as a television (must have video/graphics input connectivity)

CONS:

1. There is little room for expansion (you cannot just add another hard drive or optical drive)
2. If one component goes, the entire unit must be taken to the repair shop
3. Most all-in-one are built using laptop components which means they will not be able to perform as well as equally priced regular desktops
4. Repairs/replacement of bad/failed components will be somewhat more costly than for that of a regular desktop.

What to look for?

1. Get a big enough screen (at least 21 inches) with the best quality resloution you can afford (1920 x 1080). Remember you CANNOT replace/change the display later.
2. Check the ports. Ensure the PC comes with the connections you will be needing (a video input port should be considered which would allow you to use the screen as you would a television)
3. Get a processor with future potential (at least an Intel core i3 or AMD Phenom III)
4. At least 4GB of RAM.
5. A 7200rpm hard drive (you can decide on its size based on your needs)
6. Discrete graphics if you'll be gaming else integrated graphics would be just fine
7. WiFi capability should be considered
8. Wireless keyboard and mouse would be nice as well.

NB:  There is NO BEST, it's all about which one BEST satisfies YOUR needs.