Riding Shotgun with Rick + Riding Shotgun with Adam + Tech Pets

10 Skills EVERY computer user should have (or learn)

Rick — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:23:54 -0500

I originally posted this list in January 2007. However, through my keen observation skills, I discovered that all computer users have not yet read and digested this information. For this reason, I'm posting it again because I won't stop working to educate computer users until every computer user knows these 10 skills.

Computers have become almost a main stream household appliance. Whether you have been using a computer for fifteen years or one, these skills should be second nature:

Cut, Copy, Paste
Print just what you want (word processing, email, web)
Backup your address book
Select (highlight) text or files
Properly uninstall unwanted programs
Burn a CD
Download files from the Internet
Use MSCONFIG ; Another MSCONFIG tip
Search the Internet
Attach Files to an email

#11: Learn how to best utilize HelpMeRick.com

If you already know how to do these skills, please pass this article along to someone who doesn't...help me help other computer users.

AVG stumbles again

Rick — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:26:21 -0500

Admittedly, Grisoft has not had a great summer with the roll out of their newest product, AVG 8. They tried to force the upgrade on users a little too quickly with quick deadlines. However, almost five months after the release of the new version, I still find users who haven't upgraded yet, but Grisoft is still updating the older version.

The installation of the new version included some new features that are designed to scan links for bad web sites in your searches. This feature caused some problems for Windows Vista users and even caused some problems for email users.

Earlier this summer, AVG's upgrade servers downloaded a bad update to many computers that caused an error that confused and dazed many users.

Rick answers his email - Videocast 010

Rick — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:56:57 -0500

In this edition of my videocast, I answer questions about wireless problems with Ubuntu, sending faxes via the Internet, WinAntivirus 2009, and many others. Take a look and listen...I'm starting to integrate more video with the answers so the answers have even more meaning.

Google News Alerts

Rick — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:37:33 -0500

Would you like to get targeted news/web searches delivered to your email? Google Alerts can do that for you. Google Alerts allow you to get automated, customized news and web searches delivered to your email daily, weekly, or as breaking news alerts based on the criteria you provide. The service can be used without a Google account, but if you start using the service more, and you will, having an account will allow you to manage and tweak your alerts easier. If you already use Google for a customized home page, email, Picasa account, Blogger account, or any of the other Google services, you can use that same account information to use and manage Google Alerts.

In order to really grasp how beneficial Google Alerts can be, you need to try it out for yourself. There are no limits to how many alerts you can create. Here's how:

Click here to visit the Google Alerts page
Type a search term or terms in the first box. Remember to spell your terms correctly and describe your search completely so your alerts are more accurate
In the Type box, click and choose whether you want to get alert items from news stories only, blogs, videos, web in general (non-news), discussion groups, or comprehensive (which covers it all).
Choose how often you want the emails in the third box. Your choices are daily, weekly, or as the news happens.
Lastly, fill in your email and click the Create Alert button

Within a few hours, you will start to receive your email alerts. The email will be from Google Alerts with the subject Google Alert - Your Search Terms. The email will contain a list of the matches it found with the link to the story and where it is from and the first two lines of the story itself. You can delete or edit an alert at any time by going back to the Google Alerts web page and clicking the Manage your alerts link.

My pick for the best technology currently available

Rick — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:11:25 -0500

Editors note: Of course, I'm going to exempt smartphones (my current favorite is the iPhone 3G) because these are necessary to 21st century living.

Next to the smartphone, my vote for best technology currently available is the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). A DVR replaces the venerable VHS recorder for recording television programming. DVR's use hard drives to record the programming digitally and require about a tenth of the knowledge necessary to program a VCR. The hard drives can record from 40 HD hours to almost 200 hours of programming. With DVR's, there is never a tape to change or rewind, and the quality of the recording is flawless no matter how many times you watch it.

Another plus with DVR's is their advanced fast forward feature. All DVR's have a skip button on the remote that skips 30-60 seconds in one push. Does that time period sound familiar? Yes, it's the length of a commercial. When watching a sitcom, most commercial breaks last about 3 to 4 minutes...a few quick presses of the DVR's skip button and you are watching the next segment. A 30 minute program can be finished in about 19 minutes...I'll take 11 minutes wherever I can get them. And a one hour crime drama can be over in about 40 minutes!

Sorry Oprah and Dr. Phil fans, daytime talk shows cannot be recorded with a DVR.*

Right now my family is recording nearly 18 hours of Olympic programming every day, but we can watch all that in about 4 hours or so by using the variable speed of the DVR's fast forward feature. Very helpful to skip through boring soccer matches or 50 KM race walking at 300X speed. But because the recordings are digital, you can actually keep track of the action and

When is high speed cellular Internet access a good deal?

Rick — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 00:08:44 -0500

Not everyone can get a cable or DSL Internet connection in their home...especially in rural areas. Cellular service, though, reaches pretty far these days. And in the past few years all three major cellular providers in the United States have rolled out broadband Internet via cellular signals. New technology developments allow users to easily use USB mobile broadband adapters (the little gadgets that pick up the wireless signals) with a desktop just as easily as a laptop.All three big providers offer plans starting at $60 per month for 5GB of data transfer.

5 GB of Internet data translates into about double or triple what the average daily emailer and web surfer would need in a typical month.

Speeds for mobile (cellular) broadband compare favorably with

Rick's Answers his email Videocast - 009

Rick — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:59:50 -0500

Today is the "silhouette edition" of my new series. You will see why immediately as you start watching...however, don't let that deter you from some great Q&A! In today's episode I answer questions from Zilla May, Beverly, Roger, Tami, Tom, Terry, Greg, Sandy, Jon, and a few others about topics ranging from printing recipes to choosing a MIL laptop.

What's Adam been up to?

Adam — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:55:02 -0500

Hey folks, just checking in to let everyone know that I am still around. I don't come around as much any more because I have been taking a break from my HelpMeRick.com duties to spend time with my family and work on a few other projects behind the scenes.

I am very proud of one such project, a website called ChanisProgress.org.

Create a Permanent Email Address for Yourself

Rick — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:50:51 -0500

Are you tired of having to change your email address when your Internet provider goes out of business or gets gobbled up by another provider, or you move, or you just want to change Internet providers?

Informing everyone in your address book that you have changed email addresses doesn't take a great deal of time, but it is annoying nonetheless. In today's Shotgun article, I explain how you can create an address that is permanently yours regardless of who you use for an Internet provider.

AVG .bin error

Rick — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 01:11:24 -0500

Sunday morning update 8/17/08: Grisosft has already corrected the .bin problem and the panic is over. You can RIGHT click your AVG icon by your clock and click Check for Updates, then update on the screen that appears and all will be well again. This was a perfect example demonstrating that when something goes awry with your computer, the best thing to do is to remain calm and patient. The problem will get resolved automatically much of the time. If you start monkeying around with settings and changing and reinstalling programs, the problem will only get worse.