How To

Gain greater control of your firewall in Windows 7 and Vista

Many Windows users like Microsoft Security Essentials because it keeps them safe without having to do much. Some prefer more control, and they often turn to third-party security software. TinyWall is a small program that works with MSE and gives users the ability to fine-tune their security setup. Here's how to get started: 

Install TinyWall here. Run TinyWall. It will quickly take up residence in your system tray, where you can access it by clicking on its icon, which looks like an orange wall in front of a globe.  It's important to note that TinyWall … Read more

Get the Microsoft Office 2013 Customer Preview right now

Today, Microsoft announced the latest version of its popular productivity suite, Office 2013. The Office suite has been reworked with Windows 8 and touch-screen tablets in mind. One more key feature is that it will rely heavily on the cloud.

If you're eager to get your hands on this new set of tools, you'll be glad to know you won't have to wait. Microsoft has posted a Customer Preview of Office 2013 here. You'll need to be running Windows 7 or the Release Preview of Windows 8 in order to install it. You will notice the … Read more

How to unlink Facebook from Skype

Social media services and applications are always trying to make everything link together for our "convenience." Unfortunately, what's convenient for some is a nightmare for others, especially in the case of linking two large social media accounts together.

Linking Skype and Facebook allows you to see wall posts in the Skype Home window, which can be responded to and liked. But if this is a bit of information overload after a recent link of the two, unlinking them can be done in just a few steps on both services. Here's how to get started:

For Skype … Read more

Find out what program is interrupting Windows Sleep mode

A computer's sleep process is helpful in a couple of ways. First, it reduces the power consumption of the computer, saving you a few pretty pennies in the long run. Second, it can prevent pieces of your desktop from getting forever burned into your monitor.

When your computer does not enter sleep mode like it's supposed to, it can become rather annoying. Really, who likes a glaring (literally) distraction while watching a movie or having a bright light on in the room when you're trying to sleep. Oh right, nobody. If your computer won't acknowledge its … Read more

How to use your iPad as an external monitor over Wi-Fi

The iPad display is capable of so much more than firing pin-sharp pixels at your face. They say there's an app for anything, and while many throw a wrench in your productivity gears, some can improve your workflow in unexpected ways -- such as rigging up your iPad as an external display over Wi-Fi.

A second monitor could sit next to your laptop as a simple widescreen mobile hub, or alongside your desktop computer as extra visual real estate to keep those heavyweight widgets off your main screen.

It's not just available for Macs either. We'll be … Read more

Sync photos from your Android device to iCloud's Photo Stream

Over the last two weeks I have been thinking about switching to Android for a few months in order to gain a better perspective of the differences between Android 4.1 and iOS 6. I can tinker and mess around with Android all I want, but unless I force myself to use it all the time, I won't truly learn the operating system. At least, that's my theory.

So, I made a list of all the things I use on iOS/OS X and started looking for a way to replicate it on Android. One of the items … Read more

How to prepare a used Mac for use

When you purchase a new Mac, the system is set up to introduce you to OS X and accept new account information to start you off; however, if you purchase a used Mac then this may not be the case.

While owners selling a used Mac ought to format the system and include any restoration discs that came with it, sometimes this is not the case; they simply handed it over, with all their applications and settings still intact. Perhaps to make things easier they might create a new account for you, or change their passwords to their old account … Read more

How to detect and fix a machine infected with DNSChanger

On July 9, the FBI will close down a network of DNS servers that many people have been depending on for proper Internet access. These servers were originally a part of a scam where a crime ring of Estonian nationals developed and distributed a malware package called DNSChanger, but which the FBI seized and converted to a legitimate DNS service.

This malware scam has been widespread enough that even third-party companies like Google and Facebook and a number of ISPs like Comcast, COX, Verizon, and AT&T have joined in the effort to help remove it by issuing automatic … Read more