desktops

Mac/Windows tip: Put your desktop wallpaper on shuffle

by ben patterson on May 21, 2013

Getting tired of the same old Windows wallpaper, or can’t decide which baby picture to plaster all over your Mac desktop?

Tagged as: Mac, Mac OS X, Mac OS X "Mountain Lion", Windows, Windows 7, Windows 8

Microsoft Office tip: Hide the “ribbon” until you really need it

by ben patterson on May 15, 2013

One of the most intimidating new Office features has to be the so-called “ribbon”—the thick stripe of settings and commands that sits at the top of every Word, Excel, Outlook, Read More

Tagged as: Mac, Microsoft Office, Office 365, Windows

Mac tip: How to stop programs from launching automatically

by ben patterson on May 7, 2013

Mac tip: Two easy ways to make your Mac start up faster

So, here’s a quick question: how long does it take for your Mac to start up? A minute? Two minutes? Five? Or just too long?

Tagged as: Featured, Mac, Mac OS X, Mac OS X "Mountain Lion"

Windows tip: An easier way to clean junk files off your PC

by ben patterson on May 1, 2013

Is your Windows hard drive starting to feel a bit cramped? A quick way to clear some hard drive space is to haul out the junk—that is, temporary files, old Read More

Tagged as: Windows, Windows 7, Windows 8

Mac tip: How to customize the buttons in program toolbars

by ben patterson on April 25, 2013

Ever wish there were a Print button next to the Reply and Forward buttons in the Mac’s Mail app, or a pair of Zoom buttons on the top of every Read More

Tagged as: Mac, Mac OS X, Mac OS X "Mountain Lion"

How to keep iTunes from automatically syncing your iPhone or iPad (reader mail)

by ben patterson on April 24, 2013

Libby writes: When I plug my Apple iPad into my PC, iTunes immediately starts an 8-step syncing saga, culminating in starting a download in excess of 5,000 photos. This I Read More

Tagged as: iPad, iPhone, iTunes, Reader mail