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Mac tip: Create a new desktop in Mission Control (video)

Mac tip: Create a new desktop in Mission Control (video)

by ben patterson | Mar 1, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops, video tip

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYXu8dW8XeA&w=600] If you haven’t tried Mission Control—the handy Mac feature that gives you a bird’s-eye view of all your open windows and virtual desktops—it’s high time you gave it a whirl. Now, Mission...
Windows 8 tip: Pin people, folders, and web sites to the Start screen

Windows 8 tip: Pin people, folders, and web sites to the Start screen

by ben patterson | Feb 27, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops, tablets

If you thought the snazzy new Windows 8 Start screen—you know, the one with the dazzling patchwork of clickable, multicolored tiles—was just for apps, think again. Indeed, you can add—or rather, “pin”—tiles for your favorite contacts, folders, and web...
Windows tip: 6 ways to give the taskbar a makeover

Windows tip: 6 ways to give the taskbar a makeover

by ben patterson | Feb 13, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Who says the Windows taskbar—you know, the strip along the edge of your desktop with buttons for your open windows, the tiny icons on the far side, and the little digital clock—has to sit at the bottom of the screen? Well, no one, really. Not only can you move the...
Mac/Windows tip: Turn any printable document or web page into a PDF (reader mail)

Mac/Windows tip: Turn any printable document or web page into a PDF (reader mail)

by ben patterson | Feb 7, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops

Christine writes: I feel technologically challenged. I have a Word Document. How do I convert it to a PDF file? I downloaded Adobe Reader. Every time I click “Convert,” Adobe wants to be paid. I thought you can do this without paying. Hi Christine! So,...
Mac/Windows tip: Send PDFs and other documents to your Kindle

Mac/Windows tip: Send PDFs and other documents to your Kindle

by ben patterson | Jan 31, 2013 | apps, desktops, e-readers, how-tos, laptops

Got a PDF or Word file on your desktop that you’d rather read on your Kindle? Thanks to a handy utility from Amazon, you can send text documents from your PC or Mac directly to any Kindle e-reader or app, in just a few clicks. Available for both Mac and Windows...
5 things to know about Office 365, a.k.a. Office “in the cloud”

5 things to know about Office 365, a.k.a. Office “in the cloud”

by ben patterson | Jan 30, 2013 | apps, desktops, how-tos, laptops, the cloud

There’s a new, cloud-friendly version of Microsoft Office in town. Perhaps more importantly, though, there’s a new and potentially less painful way to pay for Office: with a subscription fee. Meet Office 365 Home Premium, Microsoft’s bid to get a...
Windows tip: 4 ways to “snap” your windows into place

Windows tip: 4 ways to “snap” your windows into place

by ben patterson | Jan 29, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, tablets

Wish there were an easier way to arrange a pair of windows side-by-side on your desktop—you know, without having to painstakingly resize the windows with your mouse? It’s a cinch, thanks to a handy feature called “Snap.” Not only can you...
Free phone calls through Gmail: 8 things you need to know

Free phone calls through Gmail: 8 things you need to know

by ben patterson | Jan 7, 2013 | desktops, how-tos, laptops, the cloud

If you’re in the U.S. or Canada and you’re a Gmail user, heads up: you can make free phone calls through your PC or Mac to any domestic cell phone or landline. As always, though, there are a few ifs, ands, and buts. Google has been offering free domestic voice...
Mac/Windows tip: Cram a bunch of files into a single “zip” archive

Mac/Windows tip: Cram a bunch of files into a single “zip” archive

by ben patterson | Jan 4, 2013 | apps, desktops, laptops

Got a bunch of little files that you want to send to a friend? Well, you could always drag them all into an email and send them as attachments, but talk about messy. A cleaner, tidier alternative is to take all those little (or not-so-little) files and compress them...
YouTube tip: Create your own Yule log video playlist

YouTube tip: Create your own Yule log video playlist

by ben patterson | Dec 24, 2012 | desktops, home video, how-tos, laptops

Want to cozy up to a digital fireplace as you unwrap your Christmas presents? You can find dozens of Yule log videos on YouTube, of course, but most of them are too short to last even through the stocking stuffers. String enough videos together, though, and...
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