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Mac tip: How to customize the buttons in program toolbars

Mac tip: How to customize the buttons in program toolbars

by ben patterson | Apr 25, 2013 | apps, desktops, how-tos, laptops

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 Safari browser window? Well, here’s the thing: you can add, remove, and rearrange the buttons in the...
How to keep iTunes from automatically syncing your iPhone or iPad (reader mail)

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

by ben patterson | Apr 24, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops, phones, tablets

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 do NOT want it to do. Can you help please? Hi Libby! Yep, we can fix this. All you have to do is...
Windows 8 tip: Skip the Start screen and boot directly to the desktop

Windows 8 tip: Skip the Start screen and boot directly to the desktop

by ben patterson | Apr 18, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

The tiled, multi-colored Start screen is perhaps the flashiest new feature in Windows 8—and it’s also a feature that (for now, at least) you can’t skip. Indeed, if you’re a Windows 8 user who just wants to get to the familiar, “classic”...
Mac tip: 10 must-know ways to take control of your desktop

Mac tip: 10 must-know ways to take control of your desktop

by ben patterson | Apr 10, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Wondering what happened to your scroll bars? Want to put your display to sleep with a flick of your trackpad, or move the dock to the side of the screen? No problem. Read on for 10 ways to make the most of your Mac’s desktop, including how to zoom your display,...
Mac tip: How to change the default programs for your files

Mac tip: How to change the default programs for your files

by ben patterson | Apr 4, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Annoyed that the Mac’s Preview app, and not Adobe Reader, always gets to open your PDF files, or that Safari has dibs on your HTML documents rather than your favorite text editor? Well, one way to open your documents with the programs you want is to right-click...
Windows 8 tip: Get the Start menu back with Classic Shell

Windows 8 tip: Get the Start menu back with Classic Shell

by ben patterson | Apr 3, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops, reviews

Even though Windows 8 doesn’t have a Start menu anymore, I still find myself clicking in the corner of the screen to open programs, search my PC, or do anything else the Start menu used to do. Of course, without an actual Start menu, I usually end up click the...
Gmail tip: 12 gotta-know Gmail keyboard shortcuts

Gmail tip: 12 gotta-know Gmail keyboard shortcuts

by ben patterson | Mar 29, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops, online services, the cloud

Want to check your Gmail inbox without pointing and clicking? You’ll barely have to touch your mouse with these handy keyboard shortcuts at your fingertips. You can compose a new message, archive old ones, jump back and forth between email threads, and more, all...
Mac tip: Share files between nearby Macs with AirDrop

Mac tip: Share files between nearby Macs with AirDrop

by ben patterson | Mar 20, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops, networking

Got a file on one Mac that you’d like to send to another Mac just a few feet away? Sure, you could always use a USB stick, but if the Macs in question are a) relatively new and b) connected to the same local network, there’s a much easier way. A built-in...
Mac tip: Why can’t I open PDF files in Safari? (reader mail)

Mac tip: Why can’t I open PDF files in Safari? (reader mail)

by ben patterson | Mar 11, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Jill writes: Whenever I try to open a PDF in Safari, I just get a blank screen. Isn’t Safari supposed to be able to open PDFs by itself? I could’ve sworn it used to. Hi Jill! Yes, Safari can and should be able to open PDF files directly in the browser...
Gmail tip: 5 ways to go back (almost, anyway) to the old Gmail

Gmail tip: 5 ways to go back (almost, anyway) to the old Gmail

by ben patterson | Mar 6, 2013 | desktops, laptops, the cloud

Remember the old Gmail—you know, before instant chat, the preview pane, the automatic message sorting, and the much-hated “new look”? Here’s five ways to turn back the clock on some of Gmail’s latest (and for some, most annoying) new features, starting with… 1....
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