How to Take Screenshots on a Mac

By admin, 8 December, 2009, No Comment

The Mac has a feature similar to the “print screen” on a Windows machine. There are several different options for taking screenshots on a Mac. You can use the keyboard shortcuts listed below, or use the Grab program located in the Utilities folder.

Take a picture of the entire screen: Command (⌘)-Shift-3

Take a picture of part of the screen: Command (⌘)-Shift-4. Drag the crosshairs to select the area. The picture is taken when you release the mouse button.

The pictures will be on your desktop as a png file. To read how to take pictures of windows and menus, click here: http://tinyurl.com/6bedma

How to Unload the Email Overload

By admin, 6 December, 2009, No Comment

If you’re like many people, your inbox can get overwhelming. Some people have dozens of folders into which they neatly organize their emails. Others delete virtually everything. (I envy them!) If you’re the type of person who just keeps everything, you might find Merlin Mann’s “Inbox Zero” worthwhile. Merlin gives his famous lecture periodically, and I was lucky to see him once myself. He gives simple advice on how to keep your inbox down to zero. Although the link below is a video from a few years ago, his recommendations are relevant today. Even if you don’t take his advice, you’ll enjoy the show!

http://inboxzero.com/video/

How to Check Windows Updates were Successful

By admin, 3 December, 2009, No Comment

Does the yellow shield in the system tray go away? Do you even know what I’m talking about? I’ll make it easy. On Wednesday, look in the bottom right corner of your computer desktop window and look to see if there is a picture of a little yellow shield. If not, jump to the next paragraph. If so, hover your mouse pointer over it. You may see a window that says that you have updates to install. Click on it. Install them. Go ahead – it’s OK. In fact, it’s a good thing.

When you think the updates are installed, click on Start, then Programs, then Windows Updates. When your browser opens up and the Windows Update page completes loading, click on the link on the left that allow you to review your update history. Were all your updates installed successfully? Scroll down the page and look back a while. If they were installed successfully, great. If they weren’t, then you should find out why.

Microsoft offers free support for Windows Updates. My experience with Microsoft Updates support has been pretty good. Of course usually I have a couple tricks up my sleeve for getting updates to install successfully. Unfortunately, my tricks include things I wouldn’t have the average user try.

I recommend that you check your updates because I see clients’ computers often where the little yellow shield shows up every day. My clients think that Microsoft puts out a lot of updates, but what they don’t know is that the updates have been failing so that little yellow shield keeps coming back.

Microsoft Patches Plug IE Hole

By admin, 3 December, 2009, No Comment

The next set of Microsoft Windows updates will fix vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer. They will be released on Tuesday, aka “Patch Tuesday.” Be sure to check that your updates were installed successfully. For more information, see the brief article below:

http://tinyurl.com/ygcbo6s

New Version of Free AVG 9.0 Anti-Virus Software

By admin, 1 December, 2009, No Comment

A new version of Grisoft’s free version of AVG anti-virus software came out this week. If you’re using AVG 8.5, you should upgrade as soon as possible so that your computer stays protected. AVG should prompt you to upgrade, but if it doesn’t be sure to go to download.com to get it. Remember, the best defense against viruses is a smart user!

Remotely Control Your Computer with Logmein

By admin, 29 November, 2009, No Comment

If you want to be able to connect to your home computer when you’re away from home, try Logmein. I use it to connect to my parents’ computers when they need help. It’s easy. First install Logmein on your home computer. You may have to setup a password to connect remotely. Then, when you’re ready to connect remotely, go to logmein.com and login to your account. You’ll see your available computer there. As long as the remote computer is on and logmein is running in the background, you can connect. You control the computer just like you are sitting in front of it. It’s easy and it’s free. Try it at logmein.com.

There’s also different versions for IT Support people.

What is a TinyURL?

By admin, 22 November, 2009, No Comment

Have you been noticing short links that begin with tinyurl? TinyURL.com is a website that will take a long url, such as a link that you want to email someone, and create a short, or tiny, url that is much easier to use. No more cutting and pasting. The new url will not break in email posting. And, it never expires. TinyURL was created as a free service to make posting long URLs easier.

Of course, quoting directly from their website, “using it for spamming or illegal purposes is forbidden and any such use will result in the TinyURL being disabled and you may be reported to all ISPs involved and to the proper governmental agencies.”

Try it yourself… http://TinyURL.com

Extend a Wireless Network with an Apple AirPort

By admin, 22 November, 2009, No Comment

If you have an Apple AirPort wireless network in your home, but the signal isn’t as strong as you need in another location in your house, you can extend its range with an Apple Airport Express or another Apple Airport Extreme. It’s very easy to setup using your Mac and the AirPort Utility.

You can easily move the AirPort Express to other rooms. As long as the signal from the base station reaches the AirPort Express, your network will be extended.

Take it with you when you travel. If your hotel room offers only a wired connection, plug in your AirPort Express to the data jack and you can share Internet access to everyone in the hotel room.

At our house, we use an AirPort Express primarily to listen to our iTunes music through our stereo speakers. Look Mom, no wires! Well worth the price!

Use Windows 7 HomeGroup to Share Files

By admin, 16 November, 2009, No Comment

Windows 7 makes networking your home computers easy. This new feature called HomeGroup is for networking two or more Windows 7 computers. The primary purposes are making sharing files and resources easier between computers on the same network, yet at the same time protecting shared files and resources from uninvited guests.

These days, many homes have multiple computers. Sharing music and pictures is now easier than with previous Windows operating systems. Even sharing a printer between computers is easy… once you know what to do. Although Windows has had the ability to share files and resources for many years, most people didn’t know how. (That’s why jump drives came in handy.) Now, the basic concept is that all you have to do is create a HomeGroup and get a password on one computer, then go to the computers you want to add to the HomeGroup and add them by entering the password. You’ll be sharing files in no time… and only the files you allow.

The HomeGroup concept only works on multiple Windows 7 machines. But, don’t despair, older operating systems can still be networked with Windows 7, but in the traditional way. Here’s an article from Microsoft on networking computers that also includes important firewall information. Good luck!

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Networking-home-computers-running-different-versions-of-Windows

Spot GPS Messenger Save Lives

By admin, 13 November, 2009, No Comment

The first generation was good. The next generation is great. Buy the original generation of Spot Satellite GPS Messenger through ByteMarks Computer Maintenance today and get a $50 rebate.

To make room for the next generation, we are selling our last few “gen 1 Spots” for $99.99 (MSRP $169.99). If you buy one between now and Dec 31, 2009, you get can get a $50 rebate, which will bring you price down to $49.99. We only have a few left, so call (970) 927-2333 and we’ll ship it right out.