Make Phone Calls in Gmail

Make Phone Calls in Gmail

You can actually feel Skype quaking in their boots. Earlier this week Google announced that users would be able to make phone calls to any traditional number right from the Gmail interface.

Naturally, I had to check this out. I mean, it's free after all, as long as you're calling someone in the United States or Canada, and the promise of international calls billed as low as 2¢ a minute doesn't hurt, either.

So here's how to do it:

Log into your Gmail account, and under the Chat section on the left side you'll notice a new option that says Call phone. Click on it



Upon clicking it, a traditional phone dial pad will pop up. You'll need to install the Google Chat and Video plug-in for your browser before you can make a call, but there's a link provided right in the call interface and it doesn't take too long to set up.



After you've set that up, make sure you've got a microphone hooked up to your computer, input a number for someone you'd like to call and hit the Call button. It rings, acts and sounds exactly like a regular phone call, and the best part is: it's free!!

Head over to your Gmail account and check it out today!!

Quick Tips Hide Desktop Icons in Windows 7

Hide Desktop Icons in Windows 7 I like to keep a relatively clean desktop. I have my frequently used icons situated just where I need them and I try to limit my amount of desktop shortcuts, but sometimes that's just not enough for me. I mean, when I first installed Windows 7, all I had was a recycle bin icon and not much else to speak of!

How can one get that level of desktop cleanliness ever again?

Simple! Just Right-Click a blank area of your desktop and choose View, then un-check Show desktop icons.



You'll go from this:



To this:



This desktop is clean!

Quick Tips Straight to the Scan

Straight to the Scan If you're a Windows 7 user, what do you do when it's time to scan something? Do you open the program that came with your scanner, fiddle with a bunch of settings, preview the scan and finally commit to scanning the item in question?

Sounds like there should be an easier way, especially if all you need to do is scan something for your records. It doesn't need to be perfect; just good enough.

So let's scan the quick way!

1.) Put your document in your scanner

2.) Click Start>Devices and Printers

3.) Now locate your scanner, Right Click on it, and choose Start scan



You'll get this window (shown below) with some quick and dirty options like Color format, Output type and Resolution. If you're in a hurry, just hit the Scan button.



After your scan is completed, you have a couple options. You can either hit Import in the resulting dialog box and Windows will put your scan into a special folder for imported stuff, or you can click Import Settings to manually choose a folder to save to.



And that's all there is to it! After you hit Import the location your scan was saved to will pop up and you can double-click it for a preview!

Scan'tastic!

Quick Tips Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder

Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder

Say you're having a problem with your PC and no matter what you do you can't seem to get the point across to tech support as to what exactly is happening. Wouldn't it be nice if there was an all-encompassing screen capture/problem recorder you could use?

Wait. There is! It's called the Problem Steps Recorder and it comes with Windows 7!

The Problem Steps Recorder was originally designed as a diagnostic tool to help with the beta test phase of Windows 7, and what it does is combine screen captures and annotations to allow you to make an html slideshow you can email to your tech guy!

Here's how it works:

First click on Start, and in the Search Box type: psr.exe. Either hit Enter or click on the psr icon that appears in the search results.

The Problem Steps Recorder console will open up. You'll notice that it has a pretty simplistic interface.



Now press the Start Record button and try to replicate the problem you are receiving. If you need to make note of a certain area of the screen, press the Add Comment button. This will allow you to highlight a portion of the screen and type in an annotation to further describe your problem.



When you are done, simply press the Stop Record button. A box will come up and ask you where you want to save your file. Choose a location you can find easily and hit Save. You can also hit the little arrow all the way to the right in the Problem Step Recorder interface, choose Settings and pick a default save location for your files.

Now, email the file to your tech guy and see what he has to say about it. Sure beats trying to describe your problem over the phone, doesn't it?

Quick Tips Change Windows Explorer Default Folder

Change Windows Explorer Default Folder

Windows 7 users know that when they go to their Windows Explorer, the first window that opens up is for Libraries. Well, that's fine and dandy, but what if I want to start off someplace else? What then?

Today we're going to learn how to change all that. So locate your Windows Explorer icon on your taskbar, or type Windows Explorer into your Search Box. Either way, right-click the Windows Explorer icon and select Properties.

Under the Shortcut tab, focus your attention to the text input box next to Target:

Simply type the address of the folder you want Windows Explorer to start in after the %windir%\explorer.exe. So, for example, mine would look like this:



Note: An easy way to select a new default location is to browse to the location, right click in the address bar, select Copy address as text and paste in the Target box.



After your new default folder location is in, click Apply then OK.

Now open up Window Explorer again and take a look at where you're at! If you ever want to go back to the original location, simply follow the same steps and delete just the location address you inputted.

Awesome!

Quick Tips Change Your Google Background Image

Change Your Google Background Image

Do you want to personalize your Google search experience a little more? Maybe add a custom background to the minimalist Google.com homepage?

It's easy, but first you must log into your account at www.google.com.

After you log in, simply click the link at the bottom left of the page that says Change background image.



A window will pop up that gives you a bunch of options that looks like this:



You can upload an image from your computer, grab one from your Picasa album (if you have one) or browse through the editor's picks or public gallery to find your new Google background.

Now just click on an image, hit Select and marvel at the personalization power you have!



If you ever want to remove your Google background, just click Remove background image at the bottom left of the page.

New Google Maps Features

New Google Maps Features

So, I was going to look up an address on Google Maps the other day and I noticed the special "Labs" icon in the upper-right had corner.

It looks like this:



Naturally, I clicked on it. (How could I not?)

To my surprise, and delight, I found that Google had added a host of new features for use in Google Maps. There's an option for a distance measurement tool, interface navigation tweaks, aerial imagery (a'la Bing.com) and even an option to shorten a Google Maps URL, so you're no pasting a link the length of a book to anyone.



Just put dot in the Enable/Disable radio button and hit Save Changes to start enjoying these advanced features! If you find you don't like them, just follow the same steps and put a dot next to Disable.

Personally, I think it's all pretty neat!

Quick Tips Google Talk Bold and Italics

Google Talk Bold and Italics

Do you use Google Talk? It's an integral part of how we communicate here at Worldstart, but I've often lamented that the features it contains are a little...

..sparse.

For example, what if I want to bold or italicize text? How do I get my point across?

Quite a curious case, but thankfully one of my esteemed co-workers knew how and was nice enough to show me.



If you want to bold text in Google Talk, just put a couple asterisks on either side of what you want to embolden. So, if I wanted to say "You need to get over here NOW", I would type:

You need to get over here *NOW*

Italics are just about the same, only you use underscores, instead. So to type "Sure, I'll make it to the office party!" I'd type:

_Sure_, I'll make it to the office party!

Similarly, if you use the Google Mail Chat client, you can use hyphens on either side of a word to cross it out.

Just a few chat formatting facts that are good to know!

Quick Tips Check your Hard Drive Space

Check your Hard Drive Space

Curious to see just how much hard drive space you have left on your computer?

In either Windows XP or Vista, click Start>Computer (My Computer for XP users). Right-click on the drive that you'd like to check and select "properties". A window will pop up with a pie-chart that details how much space you have left to work with.



Alternatively, you can just go Start>Computer and single left click on the drive you want to check. Depending on which version of Windows you have, you should see a sidebar with the HDD info.



Now you know your storage limitations!

Quick Tips New Google Maps Features

New Google Maps Features

So, I was going to look up an address on Google Maps the other day and I noticed the special "Labs" icon in the upper-right had corner.

It looks like this:



Naturally, I clicked on it. (How could I not?)

To my surprise, and delight, I found that Google had added a host of new features for use in Google Maps. There's an option for a distance measurement tool, interface navigation tweaks, aerial imagery (a'la Bing.com) and even an option to shorten a Google Maps URL, so you're no pasting a link the length of a book to anyone.



Just put dot in the Enable/Disable radio button and hit Save Changes to start enjoying these advanced features! If you find you don't like them, just follow the same steps and put a dot next to Disable.

Personally, I think it's all pretty neat!

Quick Tips Uninstall that Gadget!

Uninstall that Gadget!

The Windows sidebar is a wonderful little featured introduced in with Windows Vista. It has programs for it (called gadgets) that allow you to see the weather, check the stock market and see how much strain you're putting your computer under. That's just the beginning, though, because there are tons more gadgets you can download online, too!

In fact, before too long your list of gadgets might grow beyond manageable, so this tip will teach you how uninstall them.

First, click Start and in the Search Box, type Gadgets.

The gadget window should open up:



Now, simply right click on the gadget you want to give the ol' heave-ho to and select Uninstall.



You'll get a confirmation window. Just click Uninstall again and you're good to go!



Now you have room to get even MORE gadgets!

Quick Tips Safely Remove Hardware

Safely Remove Hardware

If you work a lot with different USB devices, you probably use the "safely remove hardware" icon quite a bit. Am I right? See, even though USB devices are labeled as "Plug & Play"—that is, they're ready to go upon being plugged in—you shouldn't just unplug them. A USB port has current running through it, so the power jolt caused by unplugging a "hot" connection can corrupt data on a storage device, camera, or mp3 player.

In other words, don't just yank your USB device out, use the Safely Remove Hardware icon, Instead. It shows up down near the clock on your task bar.

In Windows Vista and 7 it looks like this:



So, next time you're ready to remove your USB device from your system, just click the icon and select to "Eject" the device. Here's an example:



Windows will let you know when it's safe to proceed.



It only takes a second and could save potential headaches later!

Side Note: If you're still using Windows XP and your Safely Remove Hardware icon has gone missing, check this tip out to get it back.

Quick Tips The Week in Technology

The Week in Technology


Access Multiple Gmail Accounts
Do you have more than one Gmail account? I know I do: One for personal use, and another which I use when I register for a website (to ensure my personal email is not spammed till the end of time). Previously, Gmail accounts have only allowed users to access a single account at a single time when using the same web browser. Last Thursday, however, Google changed that by enabling multiple account sign-in, allowing users to access multiple Gmail accounts at the same time within the same browser. To enable multiple account sign-in, log in at http://google.com/accounts and under "profile" select "Multiple sign-in". At the moment, this feature is only available for desktop browsers and not all Google Services currently support multiple account sign-in.


The Google Street View Pedestrian Remover
In March, I mentioned in my article that the European Union's Data Protection Directive had ordered Google to delete their Street View pictures after six months, because retaining those images for a year may violate individual privacy laws inside the European Union. It appears as though one computer science graduate student in California has developed a possible solution for Google, though. Graduate student Arturo Flores, at the University of California, San Diego, has written a paper titled, "Removing pedestrians from Google Street View images" and has created a proof-of-concept computer system. The system removes pedestrians from Google Street View images and replaces the holes with an image of what may have appeared behind the pedestrian. Although the system is not yet perfect, it does provide a basis for removing individuals from Google Street View images, as well as other online pictures to ensure better online privacy.

Quick Tips I Like That One!

I Like That One!

So, if you've done an image search on Google lately, you've probably noticed that they've changed their format around a little bit. Instead of just thumbnail images, if you put your mouse over an image it expands a bit, giving you a larger view.

You may also notice a link that says "Similar".

How this comes in handy is if you're looking for a particular image, but want to see what else is out there that has like traits. So, if the image in question has a color scheme you like or the picture is taken at a certain angle, you can just click Similar and bring up more results that fit your criteria.

For example, I found a picture of a laptop:



Then I clicked Similar:



Quite useful!

Quick Tips Wave Goodbye, Google Wave

Wave Goodbye, Google Wave



It appears this horse never got out of the stable. Google Wave, Google's real-time communication app that allowed the input of live text, dragging and dropping of images and more, all in your web browser, has been killed off quietly.

Here's part of the announcement from Google's Official Blog:

"...when we launched our developer preview of Google Wave, a web app for real time communication and collaboration, it set a high bar for what was possible in a web browser.

...despite these wins, and numerous loyal fans, Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked. We don't plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product, but we will maintain the site at least through the end of the year and extend the technology for use in other Google projects."

So, if you were a fan of Google Wave, you have until the end of the year to say goodbye to it. Open Source developers will be happy to know, however, that the central parts of the code that allowed for some of Wave's cooler features are available for further development.

So, maybe some future innovation of Google Wave will peek its head out in the future.

Quick Tips Windows 7 Search Options

Windows 7 Search Options

If you're a Windows 7 user, then you've probably noticed how awesome the Search Box is. You can find just about anything by typing a name into the box; be it files, programs, commands, etc, but did you know there are ways to customize your search?

Click Start, then in the Search Box type Folder Options.

Now click on the Search Tab.



From here, you can set options on what to search for, how to search and what to include during your search. Fidget around in here until your satisfied, but remember that you can always restore the default search settings by clciking the Restore Defaults button at the bottom of the window.

Sweet!

Quick Tips Find the Version Number

Find the Version Number

Okay, here's a quick tip that may only apply to a few, but it's one that anyone can try. If you're ever in need of knowing the version number of a program (For example, 3.5.3 as seen below), then all you need to do is click Help>About(Program name).





Most programs have this information readily available and it comes in handy if you're looking for a specific version or patch for a program. Give it a try in your favorite program today!

Today's Feature Signs of Malware

Signs of Malware

You all know there are millions of malware infections out there today. It seems as if there are tons of new infections that pop up everyday. In the past, I've written about how antivirus software and anti-spyware software don't always find all of the infections on your computer. After writing that article, I received several e-mails asking, "How do I know if I have a virus?" Well, today, I will cover some of the signs your computer will show if it's possibly infected with a virus or some other type of malware.

1.) Your computer slows down majorly. If your system slows down drastically, you may have an infection. Viruses and adware use resources on your computer. They can destroy files, send spam e-mail, redirect your browser and many other things that will slow your computer down.

2.) Internet browser crash. If your Internet browser stops working or shuts down often, you may be infected. Since most malware programs use the Internet to spread themselves, they will affect the performance of your browser. If your Internet browser just starts closing with no warning, you need to check for viruses.

What is "Safe mode"?

Q:
What is "Safe mode"?

A:
Safe mode is a Windows maintenance mode where only the bare minimum of drivers are loaded. You don't have access to CD ROMs, printers, or other non-essential devices.

It's helpful to use this mode when you are having problems with your PC. For example, maybe you just installed an awesome new video card, but in all the excitement loaded the wrong driver for it. This in turn caused your video display under windows to be non-existant. If you go into Safe mode, you can fix it.

I also use it to help find problems with programs. If I get lots of "illegal operation" messages, I try running the program in safe mode to see if the program itself is the problem. If the program runs fine in safe mode, I can assume I have another program or driver that's interfering with the program's operation and causing the error. (Note that not all software runs in Safe mode - especially more robust programs, but it's still worth a shot).

To get to Safe mode, press the F8 key when Windows starts to boot. You have to do this BEFORE you see the first "Windows" screen. I start tapping away at mine when as soon as I get by the BIOS startup screen or the manufacturer's splash screen. Experiment and you'll get it.

Q:
In Windows XP is there any ways I can add Notepad to my right-click "Send to" menu?

A:
But of course! Some time or another you will have some kind of a file that you know is just plain text. If you do it a lot, then you know that it can be kind of a pain to keep going into the Start menu and opening Notepad (the simple text editor that comes with Windows) and browse to the file each and every time. This tip will show you how to open the file in Notepad all in one shot – by using the "Send To" function.

Okay. Where is "Send To"? You know when you right-click on a file somewhere on your computer and you right-click a folder to get it to do something quickly? Say you want to print a document, copy a document to another folder, if you read the list, "Send To" is an option. Right-click it.

Quick Tips Gone For Good!

Gone For Good!

Sure, you can hold the Shift key when you delete a file to skip the recycle bin just like this tip shows, but what if you're really, really sure when you delete stuff?

Follow me, Windows 7 users!

Just right-click on your recycle bin and select Properties. In the resulting window you'll see an option that says: "Don't move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted." If you think you're ready to handle the option for permanent deletion, then select it and press OK.



Now whenever you delete something it's gone for good!

Be careful with this one!

Quick Tips Copying the Links

Copying the Links

Have you ever visited a Web site that you just loved and you knew you had to share it with someone else? Maybe the site had an awesome picture on it or maybe even a video you wanted to share. Either way, how can you manage it so your friend can see the site? Well, there's a couple of things you can do and they're both so easy!

First, you can just do a simple copy and paste. Go up to the address bar in your Web browser, highlight the link, right click on it and choose Copy. Then go to your e-mail program and open up a brand new message box. Place your cursor in there, right click again and click on Paste. The Web link will then appear in the e-mail. You can then write a little message to your friend and tell them to click on the link to see the site. If you want to paste the link in another program (like Word, for instance), just do the same exact thing.

Now, if you are on a site and you see a link within it that you want to share with someone, right click it and choose Copy Shortcut or Copy Link Location. You can then go and paste that link in an e-mail or wherever you'd like (just like I explained above). You can also use this method to copy a photo link from a Web site. If the picture has a link included with it, you can right click it and choose the same options. Then go and paste it and everyone you send it to will be able to see the image. Pretty cool, huh?!

Computers 101

With all the huge hard drives, multi-core processors and RAM options out there, what would be the best route to take for a new computer for those on a budget?

A:
The first thing that you need to decide on a new computer, whether you're on a budget or not, is exactly what you want to do with your new computer. When you're armed with this information, a salesman won't be able to sell you more computer than you need simply to pocket a larger commission.

Many people start to look for a computer by looking for a certain name brand. My advice would be to only worry about name brand if there is a particular brand of computer that you have had good luck with in the past. For instance, until my current computer (which I built), I've always stuck with HP. Why? Because my first computer was an HP and I've always had exceptionally good luck with them - although my laptop, a ten year old Dell, is doing just fine. One brand for budget-minded users, E-machine, used to be a bad brand. They were, however, purchased by Gateway a few years back and have been a fine budget machine since then.

You also need to decide if you want a desktop or a laptop. If you need portability, get a laptop. Be prepared, though, to pay more money for less machine if you do, and for the fact that laptops are generally harder and more expensive to upgrade than desktops. Otherwise, stick with a desktop.

The key features to look for in a new computer, as you mentioned, are hard drive size, processor and RAM. Another thing to look for, though, especially if you want to game, is video card.

Hard drive:



When I sold computers for a living and people would ask me the difference between hard drive and RAM, I would explain it like this: A hard drive is where you store all of your stuff. It's kind of like the closet of your computer.

Over the last several years, hard drives have gotten much, much larger and much less expensive, so it's really not going to kill you financially to get a hard drive of 500 gigabytes or even a terabyte, which is a huge amount storage space. The larger the drive, the more music, photos, games, etc. you can store. One thing to bear in mind, however, is that the larger the drive is and the fuller it gets, the longer it can take to retrieve your information, including the time that it takes your computer to access your operating system. For this reason, another alternative is to get a computer with a small hard drive that basically just holds your operating system and your programs, and an external hard drive to store all of your stuff. My desktop, for instance, has an eighty gig internal drive, and I use a five hundred gig external hard drive to store my documents. This gives you the added advantage, if you use more than one computer, to move your documents easily between the two.

Processor:



Do yourself a favor and don't skimp on the processor. Having said that, make sure that you get one that can handle the new programs that are coming out. As processors get more powerful, software manufacturers are writing programs to take advantage of that power. The better your processor is, the longer it will take for your computer to become obsolete. Unless you are doing HD video editing or playing the latest iteration of World of Warcraft, any of the Intel Core series should be fine, but if you want to future-proof your machine and can afford it, it certainly wouldn't hurt to get something with the i7.

RAM:



The amount of RAM that you have determines the amount of information that you can have open on your desktop at one time without lag. Most pre-built computers these days are coming with a significant amount of RAM. Again, with the prices on RAM dropping significantly over the last several years, RAM doesn't increase the computer's price by any large amount. Four gigs of RAM seems to be the standard for budget machines right now, although if you're gaming or doing HD video editing, you may want more. The more that you have, the faster these applications will run.

Another thing to bear in mind for future upgrading is what type of RAM you get. The Intel Core series of processors runs DDR2 ram, which increases in multiples of two (two, four, six and eight gigs), while the i7 runs DDR3, which increases in multiples of three.

Video card:



The stock video card included with most pre-built PC's should be plenty to run basic games, as well as features like Windows Aero. Watching or editing HD video or playing graphics-intensive games may require a better video card, though. Upgrading your video card can run you into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars, though, I'd suggest asking a friend who does similar things with his PC that you'd like to do what video card he's running. Friends will always offer better advice than salesman.

Quick Tips Yahoo Page Options

ahoo Page Options

So I use Yahoo as my start page. Why? Because I like getting all my news, stocks and scuttlebutt all in one place.

But the other day I noticed something lurking in the upper right-hand corner of the Yahoo homepage I'd never seen before.



So I clicked on it, and to my surprise (and delight) I found that not only could I switch to a compact version of Yahoo, but I could also push all the news to the top of the page and...

Switch the color of the page!



No more boring Yahoo homepage for me! I'm going pink!

Tip of the Day The Invisible Character

The Invisible Character

Do you have something that requires a name but you don't want anything in it? You could just throw nonsense in there, but a blank space would be best. Well, guess what? There is an invisible character! This special character is the equivalent of a space:

Hold down ALT then type 0160 (Alt+0160) on the number keypad at the right side of your keyboard.

You could use it as an email address when filling out forms:

@ .com

But here's what I think is the coolest use of it... giving your desktop shortcuts blank labels so all you see is the icon. Interested? (This will only work on shortcuts, not on My Computer, My Documents, or program icons.)

Extend the RAM or otherwise speed up the computer.

I read somewhere that putting a blank or nearly blank thumb drive in the laptop USB port, it can extend the RAM or otherwise speed up the computer. I can't find a link to this. Is it true that an installed flash drive or thumb drive can speed the computer? If so, what does the operator do to set this up?

Windows has introduced a new feature that is designed to give users a quick, simple and cheap way to boost the performance of their Vista or 7 powered PC. It is called ReadyBoost and trust me, it does just that! So, what is ReadyBoost? How does it work and how effective is it? Well, let's take a look!

Basically, ReadyBoost allows you to use a flash memory stick (flash drive) or SD card on your computer to store commonly used files so that you can access them much faster than off of your hard drive. Turning the ReadyBoost feature on couldn't be any easier as well. To do so, just plug a flash drive, SD card or whatever flash device you'd like to use into your computer. You'll then see this dialogue box pop up:

Click the "Speed up my system" link and you'll be taken to the ReadyBoost panel for the flash drive, which looks like this:

Just select Use this device and then set the amount of space you want to use. Vista or 7 will then create what is essentially a paging file on that drive and you will then be able to use it for quicker access. Note: This will only work with USB 2.0 devices or SD cards.

The advantage of ReadyBoost is that it is much faster to cache to a USB drive than to your hard drive. That then speeds up your system and enhances its overall performance. For example, acting as a fast store for frequently accessed data, the average random 4K document read from a flash device is about ten times faster than accessing the same information from the hard drive. That's pretty darn fast, if you ask me. Check it out!

Quick Tips My Icons are too big!

My Icons are too big!

Maybe you've got a whole bunch of stuff you want to see on your Start menu, or perhaps it's a matter of personal preference. Either way, today's tip is going to show you how to shrink your Start Menu icons in Windows Vista and 7.



Let's give it a try!

First, Right-Click on a blank area of your Taskbar and select "Properties". A window will pop up. Select the Start Menu Tab and click the
"Customize" button. Once in this window, scroll the list all the way down to the bottom. You should see something that looks like this:



Just un-check the check-box that says "Use Large Icons" and hit OK, then Apply then OK again. You've just gone to Lilliput! If you don't like what you see, then follow the same steps and re-check the box

Quick Tips Rename Start Menu Sections

Rename Start Menu Sections

Here's an easy one for all you Windows 7 users out there! Say you want to rename something under your start menu – let's say you want "Games" to be called "Entertainment".

So click Start, and then Right-Click on Games.



Now Choose Rename and type in your new name for the section.



And there you have it! Instant customization! Now you can rename Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos, Games and Computer to whatever you want!