More Ways to Improve Your Slow Computer

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adult, apple, blouseIf you want to speed up your computer, you can either upgrade to your existing storage device to solid-state drives or  you can also your Random Access Memory (RAM). Before you go on buying a shopping spree, try these tips first because you may end up saving your money for something more important. Note that this guide mostly applies to a Windows PC and it will focus on the tips and tricks you yourself can do.

These tips wont cost you anything. Just prepare to do a lot of clicking and hopefully, your computer will improve.

  • Change your browser. You might think how is this related to speeding up your computer? Web browsers use a lot of RAM especially if you have multiple tabs open. You can upgrade your RAM to accommodate your needs, or you can try to use another browser. Here’s a list of browsers you might like and explore other browsers aside from the usual Google Chrome, Safari, and Mozilla Firefox.
  • Clean your computer. Literally, clean it because when a computer is filled with dirt and dust, its integral parts will have to work harder in order to function properly. Give the important components some space by regularly clearing out the dust. Do not let dust block the vents because if they do, your computer will end up overheating. Your computer needs some space to breathe too.
  • Move or delete files. Consider moving any of your files that you want to keep, but do not want take up all the storage. Keep these files in a removable media (like a thumb drive, or you can even store in DVDs.) This way, you will be able to clear up the unnecessary congestion that is choking your computer.
    • If you want to search for the files that is space consuming, go to my computer. On the upper-right corner of the screen, type in size:gigantic in the search box. It will then look for the files that is greater than 128 MB.
    • After the search is done, you can select the files you wish to delete. Look at the largest files first. You can go to the view menu, and choose sort by size.
  • Clean up system files. One common misconception is that you need to purchase additional apps to do the cleaning. No need for that because Windows has a built-in application designated to clean your hard drive. Disk Cleanup deletes files that you moved to your recycle bin, temporary internet files, back up files, and your local temp files. If used regularly, it can save a huge amount of space and it can help your computer to work faster.
    • To do this, Click your Start button. Enter Disk Cleanup in the search box, and then, choose program Disk Cleanup. Select the hard drive that you wish to clean up and click OK. The program will then scan the selected storage. Once the dialog box appears, select Clean up system files. In the Disk Cleanup dialog box, select the boxes for the files you want to delete, and click OK. It will ask you one last time if you really want to delete the files so just confirm it by clicking delete files.

Want more tips?

There are still tips regarding includes tips regarding uninstalling unused programs, installing an antivirus, running Disk Defragmenter, and more. If you want to know more about it, just click this link.

8 Tips in Creating Great Passwords

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closed, door, greenPasswords are like locks to your safe. You should be only the one with they key. Make sure it is easy for you to remember, but difficult for intruders and hackers to figure out. Hackers are not magicians; they cannot conjure your passwords out of thin air. They use a cracking software and several tricks to guess a password. 

Follow this guide in order to ensure your online accounts are safe and protected.

YOU SHOULD NOT:

  • Do not use “password” as password. Among the list of common passwords are the word password, ‘pass’, ‘123456’, ‘qwerty’, ‘1111’, ‘monkey’, and so on. Intruders wont need a cracking software because your password is practically a giveaway. So, avoid using passwords mentioned. Also, try to avoid any sequences, any popular sports, movies, books as your password. Stop making so easy for intruders to guess your password.
  • Do not use your name, your family member’s name, or your pet’s name. Where do hackers snoop for clues about your password? Social media. What do usually post on social media? You probably post pictures of your family, friends, and even pets. Thus, passwords after their names or your name are very easy to foretell.
  • Do not use details that can be freely accessed. You easily give out your email, birthday, mobile number, and other personal information so avoid using them as passwords. It’s going to be very predictable and very easy to guess. Whatever you are to guard from hard is also very easy to acquire.
  • Do not click on “yes”. This is an important tip especially if the computer you are using is shared. Type your username and password every time you log to a website. When the computer asks you if you want to save your password, please do not agree. This is only advisable if you are the only one using your computer.
  • Do not repeat the same passwords. If your account involves your money, and your credit card, avoid repeating passwords. Choose a unique password for your account/s especially if you use it to transact online.

YOU SHOULD:

  • Use  a combination of alphabets and numbers. A strong password consists of a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and even special characters. The more randomly you add them, the better.
  • Passwords should be at least 8 characters long. Do not settle for the minimum password requirement. If you can make it to 16 characters long, then, do it. A quick tip for you is to create a phrase, or pick out a line from your favorite song.
  • Do choose a password that you will remember. Select a password that you know you will recall like a song lyric, movie line, book excerpt. If you cannot remember it, then, you will probably write it down. Once it’s written somewhere, other people are bound to discover it.

When selecting a phrase or a line from a book or song, be sure it’s not a popular one. You can also translate certain words or phrases to your local language. If you are still out of ideas, Norton has a password generator that might come in handy.

Google Tips and Tricks (Part 2)

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apple, coffee, computer

Searching on Google.

Sometimes, when we search online, it can be a pain; our search may be futile and we cannot seem to find what we are looking for. If you wish to be an expert Googler, be sure to carefully follow this guide. Take note of all the 8 tricks mentioned, or you may bookmark this page. If you find an item confusing and difficult to follow, click on the designated search example.

  • Finding news in a particular location. If you are searching for news related to a specific place, you can use the location: command to search Google for stories coming from that location.
  • Looking for specific documents. If you are searching to find results that are of a distinct file type, you can use the search filter filetype:. For example, you might want to find only PDF files related to the detailed history of Canada.
  • Exclude an exact term. If you want to search the web for cake recipes, but you want to exclude recipes that contain dairy products like eggs. In order to do this, add a – (minus sign) before the term you want to exclude in the search.
  • Searching a particular website. Even if a certain website does not have a search box, you can still search a website by asking Google’s help.  This is helpful for you when you forgot the exact page link of a website, and only remember the main page. You can use the site: modifier, and follow the format listed below.
  • Looking for the specific phrase. If you want your search results to be more definitive, you need to add quotation marks with your phrase or keywords. This is a great help when your keywords are too common and generic. It will help you narrow your results once quotation marks are added. You can follow the format below and put your search terms inside the quotation marks.
  • Similar words and terms. To search for similar terms, you have to use the ~ symbol before the keyword. Let’s say you want to search for recipes, but then, you also want dessert recipes that related to Halloween. So, you will search for Halloween plus the tilde symbol and the keyword recipes.
  • Finding an exact text in a page. If you do not know what you are searching for, and you only have certain keywords in mind, this trick is really useful. The allintext: filter will help you find those keywords, and they do not have to be necessarily beside each other.
  • Searching the URL. If you want to find web pages that mentions an exact phrase in the URL, you just have to type allinurl: and include your keywords.

Google has features that we all thought never existed. These tricks are just one of many and they will surely make our lives easier. Want more tricks? Check  the tips on viewing the cached version of a website, and etc.

Google Tips and Tricks (Part 1)

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Google Search Engine on Macbook ProWho hasn’t relied on Google to search for everything and anything? We are all guilty! There are things you might not know about the popular search engine. Have you ever tried searching for images using a specific image? Discover useful Google search tricks that you may find helpful and interesting.

  • Searching using an image. We usually type keywords when we search on Google. Try looking up for an image using another image. Seems confusing? Simply to go to images.google.com and instead of typing keywords in the search box, you have to click on the camera button. You can upload the photo or paste the URL of the photo. Things are easier if you are using Google Chrome browser. When you right click an image in Chrome, select the Search Google for this image option. Then, Google will show you results pertaining to that photo. This will come in handy when you wish to find duplicated photos. However, it is quite unreliable as Google will also display similar images. Finding the exact image may be harder than expected, but it will still give you great leads.
  • View the cached version of a website. Google’s most unique and helpful feature is that you can now view the previous versions of a website. Take a look at your Google search results carefully, and notice the ▼ symbol beside the website links. You can click green pointing-down arrow, and choose the cached option. After, you will be redirected to the website’s last saved version. This feature is helpful when there are network problems, and the live version of the website is currently unavailable. There’s no need to worry when a website is offline because you can access its cached version using Google’s helpful tool.
  • Built-in dictionary. There’s no need to Google for various online dictionaries because Google will help you instead. Just type define:  plus the word you want to search and Google will look for the word’s definition. Easy, right? Aside from the definition, you can also view its synonyms and translate it into another language if you wish. You can view this tutorial to learn more. Ever since, Google has been your research companion and now, it’s making your life easier because of its dictionary function.
  • Casual games. Did you know that there a few fun games hidden on Google? Game number one is called Atari Breakout. To activate the hidden game, you have to go to images.google.com  and type in the words “Atari Breakout”. After, the image search results will then morph into a colorful game board. If you do not like it,  game number two is Pac-Man. It is Google’s first ever playable doodle. Here’s a tip for you: if you click Insert Coin multiple times,  Ms. Pac-Man will join the game and you can control her with the WASD keys. Game number three is called Zerg Rush. The objective of this game is to shoot before the zeroes attack and destroy your Google search results. In order to play this game, just go to the Google and type in zerg rush.

Tablet, Chromebook, Ultrabook, Laptop: How to Choose the Right Device?

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Computer DeskPortable devices have become a trend worldwide. Gradually, people are choosing mobile computers over desktop computers. You’re probably asking what’s the best portable devices? With the endless array of devices presented, buying the right computer is tougher than you think. You need to decide if you should purchase an all-purpose laptop, netbook, ultrabook, and a hybrid. All these devices can be overwhelming when you really just want to finish work. This guide will help on deciding the right device for you.

  • Hybrid (also known as 2-in-1 PC, laplet.) You might think you are getting two devices for the price of one. It’s not really the case; these hybrid computing devices are mostly “tablet-first” meaning they are basically tablets with optional keyboards. They may have limited apps depending on their respective app stores, and limited storages options, but they are extremely portable and are usually detachable like the Microsoft Surface series and the ASUS Transformer Book series. You can avail additional accessories – keyboard, pen, tablet cover – to help you, but they come with a price.
  • Chromebook. If you detest Windows OS, Chromebooks might offer you something you will like. Chromebooks run Google’s ChromeOS and they are hugely dependent on the web apps available at the Google Play Store. They are not compatible with third party applications and you can only rely on the its apps store; it would mean that you would not be able to install your .exe files. Also, it does not support expandable memory and storage. There’s no available Chromebook with a storage more than 32 GB. Instead, you will be given a 100GB free cloud storage. On the good side, these web-centric Chromebooks are really cheap. HP Chromebook, Samsung Chromebook 3, and Acer Chromebook 11 are all under $200.
  • Ultrabook. When you plan to get a fast and sleek computers, this is for you.  An ultrabook is a high-end, elegant, and ultraportable computer. You probably know its most notable example – the Macbook Air! If you want a Windows OS ultrabook, you can choose from ASUS Zenbook, HP Envy, Toshiba Protégé, and other popular brands. Ultrabooks are lightweight yet powerful because they can handle Full HD videos, and some heavy games. Due to its slim design, they may have limited ports and other that, they can really be expensive.
  • Netbook. With the advent of ultrabooks, most of the manufacturers discontinued netbooks, but you can still see affordable deals online. Netbooks might not be as powerful as an ultrabook, but they can definitely handle daily computing duties, and do the most of the functions of a laptop. For people who are always on the go and on a tight budget, this highly portable, lightweight computer is a perfect choice. Another good feature is that they have a long battery life, and perform better than most laptops. It has around 5 hours of juice on daily use.
  • Laptop. If you are looking for flexibility, then, save your money to purchase a standard laptop. When you need to plug in different USB devices, SD/micro sd card reader, HDMI port, and when you need a CD/DVD player, this is it. It is your all-around computing machine. When you aren’t travelling much, look no further. Laptops from the Acer Aspire E, and Toshiba Tecra C series are great examples.

7 Email Etiquette You Should Know About

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computer, desk, emailEmails and real life conversations are two polarizing subject matter. One common practice in emails may not needed in real life. So, what the right way to deal with emails? What should you do regarding emails when you receive or send out one?

This guide has tips for you in order to construct that reply, and write that much needed email.

  • The first rule is to reply no matter what. You have to remember that communication is key. You just need to click that reply button and write that you have received that email. If a  given task needs your immediate attention, reply acknowledging that you got the email and you will start working on it. If you cannot do the task immediately, reply politely on why you won’t be able to do so and give a time estimate on when you will finish the task.
  • Do the emails with action items first. Before you go and acknowledge every important email in your inbox, reply first to the emails you need to do like for example, you need to send a particular document, to make a restaurant reservation, or to confirm a meeting.
  • It is important to acknowledge emails, but there might be exceptions to the rule so you have to read emails because:
    • The sender added an NTN (or No Thanks Needed!) Your reply might not be necessary so skip saying thanks.
    • You are just on the CC line. This is why you have to read carefully because only the people on the TO line will do this specific task unless if someone specifically asks you to join and help. When you are included on the CC line, this is just to keep on the loop.
  • Do not forget the attachments. Sometimes, you are in a hurry to reply and send your email that you left out the attachment. Always check that the files you need to send is actually included in the email you are sending. Double check if the attachments are 100% complete and that no file failed in the process. It will be hassle to email again to ask for the same file.
  • Be clear with your answers. Being concise with your replies is not enough; you also have to be direct with what you mean. Replying only a ‘yes’ could be confusing. It is best to repeat the questions you are answering. For example, you can say: ‘Yes, blueberry muffins are great.’, or ‘Yes, we prefer the chocolate chip cookies.’
  • Use the subject line. A subject line gives an overview of the email. You should utilize that so the recipient will know if it’s urgent or not. For example, you can indicate: ‘For Approval: Travel Itinerary’ or ‘FYI: New Website.’

Every rule has exceptions.

These rules are just general guidelines to help you manage your emails.  There are  business keep their emails strictly for important matters and thank you emails are not necessary. For some, it is a more casual approach and everyone is encouraged to converse and chat. It really depends on your work environment. In case you need more tips, you can check out this article on internet etiquette.

Your Cooling Pad Buying Guide

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Woman in Swimming PoolWhen your laptop multiple things to accomplish, it tends to overheat quickly. Heat buildup can damage your laptop and heat can cause your laptop to become unstable. This may even lead to permanent damage. Using a cooling pad is a great solution in order to prevent weakened performance.  What should you look for in a cooling pad?

This guide will help you get the suitable cooling pad for your laptop.

  • Portability vs. Durability.

Getting the “right” cooling pad really depends on your lifestyle. Do not solely buy because this brand is famous; that’s totally wrong. Instead, know your laptop’s activity. Is it a desktop replacement? If it is a yes, you might want a more durable one. Metal or aluminum cooling pads would be better than the plastic ones. If you are travelling a lot, then, consider a plastic cooling pad. If your laptop is always on-the-go, consider a slim cooling pad that you can easily carry with you. Choose a cooling pad that is lightweight and portable.

  • Performance.

You should NOT get the cooling pad with the most fans. That’s the biggest mistake for most people because the number of fans does not matter. The important factor is the cubic feet per minute (or the CFM) of a cooling pad.  Why? Because the amount of air a cooling pad can disseminate is calculated in CFM. A cooling pad with a high CFM is better choice to cool your laptop compared to a cooling pad with multiple fans that has a lower CFM. When deciding which cooling pad to get, do not go for the pad with multiple fans and choose the one with the higher CFM.

  • Power Source.

Some cooling pads are powered independently and some are powered via USB port. Using a USB-powered cooling pad means you are losing a port and losing battery life too. Find a cooling pad with extra ports so you can still plug in your devices. There are also cooling pads that have optional adapters for dedicated power, but it would be quite a hassle because you would need to carry around another bulky accessory.

  • Heat Spots.

Every laptop is made different purposes. You have to know the specific areas that heat up quickly and find an adequate cooling pad for it. If the cooling pad does not address the heat spot, it is useless no matter how expensive it is. Always get the suitable cooling pad for your laptop and not because it is a popular choice.

 

Protect your laptop from more potential damage.

There are other habits you can avoid are: using your laptop under blazing sun, leaving your laptop in your car, and placing your laptop on your lap. Do not leave your laptop behind especially if you are going to be away for hours and you will just let it sit in a hot car. If it is in direct sunlight, move it. Handle it with utmost care. Laptops may forcibly shut down and refuse to function if they reach a certain level of heat.

6 Alternatives To PayPal For Online Transactions

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money, laptop

Sending payments online.

Paypal is the obvious choice of people when it comes to receiving, sending, and spending money online. It can transfer goods, money, or services and permits fund transfer from one person to another person. But Paypal is not the only company who can do these services. There are other alternatives as well.

Here is the list of companies you can try:

  • Google Wallet is predominantly used in the U.S. It credits and debit cards that comes from other countries. It is the quick, free way to send money using the app, in Gmail, or the website wallet.google.com. Simply use the email address or phone number. The person does not need to have the app. You can also pay in stores using an NFC-enabled android device.
  • Skrill (also known as MoneyBookers) scan send and receive money to its users using a credit or debit card. Withdrawing and sending funds are charged differently for every country. MoneyBookers can send money in various currencies in any place which make them a close rival to the already popular Paypal.
  • If you are a seller and based in New Zealand or Australia, Paymate is a great option to get money from customers in other countries. These countries can make use of Ebay Australia and Paymate on their website at a  small fee. Sending money to another user may not be possible, but Paymate is a good option for payment.
  • Payza (also known as AlertPay) sends and receive money in 21 different currencies and 190 plus countries. This service is based in Canada and the U.S. but it supports certain banks debit/credit card only from nations they recognize. Additional funds is done through bank transfer or credit card, ask money by means of invoices, and send money to other users. Creating account with Payza is free of charge, but other services of transferring has minimum charges competitive with PayPal. It has a good payment service for online merchants. They will also assist in overseeing multiple businesses with one account.
  • Payoneer is ideal in paying online shopping. Once you register, you can access prepaid MasterCard that can be delivered to your location. The account is free and charges will come when you activate the card. You can also load money that comes from other banks or credit cards. Once activated, it can be used in a number of countries using different currencies. Having Payoneer has an annual payment but it offers another convenience of being able to buy and withdraw money from a MasterCard ATM.
  • Stripe is huge competitor of Paypal’s because it charges a flat fee of just 2.9% and another 30c in every transaction. Set-up is simple and it has a full combination payment, and the bank transfers are quick. It has multiple payment options making use of debit and credit cards. No international fees added.

There are more rising money transfer alternatives out there. It is a good idea to check other money transfer alternatives in the market. You might just find a better deal!

Is There an Internet Copyright?

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Person Signing in Documentation Paper

Everything you need to know about copyright.

What is Copyright?

It legally protects the creator or writer of an original work. The protection given is wide and pertains to original drama, sculptural works, literary piece such as fiction, non-fiction books, poems, music and lyrics, choreography and pantomimes, moves and audio visual recordings, sound recordings, photography, graphic, architecture, and anything that has to do with artistic works.

Does this law includes the internet?

The current laws regarding the internet was done by the legislation or the court and the copyright law is one of them. This means, the law also includes the internet. So, anybody who breaks this law is not just violating the federal law, but expose oneself to criminal and civil liabilities.

Copyright only applies to physical forms of self-expression. A good example is writing down a concept on anything like a story. Once expressed in concrete form, the work does not have to be published to make the creation yours since you were the one who thought about it. But if you made the concept for a company you work with, the work belongs to the company. This is called unregistered copyright and it is shown with a c designation. Therefore, the unregistered copyright holder may do anything he/she desires like selling, performing or reproducing the work. You now have the right to file a legal case for a directive to disallow the use of the material you created.

Filing a lawsuit.

Get an Intellectual Property lawyer who will represent you in court, but before filing a lawsuit for copyright infringement, the material has to be duly registered at the Copyright Office. The Copyright Office in the U.S. is part of the Library of Congress. All records of copyright registration in the country remains at the office that includes a Copyright Catalogue. Creator or writer must file an application fee and pay the stipulated amount. Once this is accomplished, a designated circle r symbol shows the work is duly registered and officially copyrighted. The creator or writer now has the lifetime sole control of the material. The registered copyright is acknowledged for another 70 years even after the death of its creator or writer.

Copyright is no different from owning a property, it can be assigned to another person as owner by means of a  last will and testament.

Now, the person can enjoy the following rights:

  • The right to display the work publicly,
  • to perform the particular work,
  • to copy, distribute, reproduce,
  • and to create works that are based on the original work.

Are there exceptions?

The materials used for researching, teaching, criticism, news reporting or parody, and commentary are exceptions to the rule.

Final thoughts.

When the material is registered and copyrighted, it is now in the government record and they are protected by the Federal Copyright Act.  The copyright holder has the right to file a copyright infringement case, seek for injunction, financial damages and lawyer’s fees.