Computers and hardware posts - How To- Page 55

How to send links from Android device to computer browser

Whether you're in transit, waiting in line at the DMV, or between appointments, mobile browsing can be a sanity saver. It's not all disposable entertainment, of course, as sometimes you stumble onto a page you want to investigate later on your laptop or desktop machine. It's not that hard to e-mail yourself a link and open it later, but there's a better way. Android2Cloud lets you send links directly to the Chrome browser running on a particular machine, saving you time and making you more likely to actually follow up. Here's how to get started:… Read more

How to track your browser history in threads

Maybe you want to give credit where it's due, or just make a note of that one awesome site that seems to point you toward all the answers to your tech questions. Searching your browser history can be hit or miss, especially if you want to know how you came to find any particular page. Firefox users have an easy way to keep track of browsing history in threads, like email conversations. Here's how to get started:

First, head over to Mozilla and install the FromWhereToWhere add-on.

The next time you want to head down Memory Lane, instead … Read more

How to stream your music from the cloud for free

Cloud storage is popping up everywhere lately, and businesses are scrambling to fill niches. While the Amazon Cloud Drive looks like a solid contender to take over the streaming-media territory, its cost (and potential legal issues) drive many users to look elsewhere. MiMedia, which started out as a cloud backup service, has added a simple media player to its 7GB of free storage to create a virtual MP3 player usable on any Web-enabled device. Here's how to get started:

Start a free account with MiMedia and install the application (currently Windows-only, with a Mac version promised for the near … Read more

How to connect your Chromebook to a Wi-Fi network

Chromebooks have great battery life, but without a network connection, there isn't a whole lot you can do with them. Here's how to connect your Chromebook to the cloud over a Wi-Fi network:

Advertised network

Step 1: Click on the network icon, located in the upper right-hand corner.

Step 2: Choose the network you want to connect to from the list of detected Wi-Fi networks. If you don't see a list, make sure that Enable Wi-Fi has been selected. If you choose a secured network, you'll prompted for a password.

Hidden network

Step 1: If you … Read more

15 essential Chrome OS keyboard shortcuts

Google's Chrome OS uses some familiar keyboard shortcuts as well as some unique ones. A few of these access Chrome OS settings and others take the place of missing physical keys on Chromebook keyboards (Page Up, Page Down, Home, End). Here are 15 essential keyboard shortcuts in Chrome OS:

Settings:

Ctrl+? Open help Shift+Esc Open task manager Ctrl+Alt+/ Open keyboard shortcut list Ctrl+M Open file manager

Navigation and text editing:

Alt+ up arrow Page Up Alt+ down arrow Page Down Ctrl+Alt+ up arrow Home Ctrl+Alt+ down arrow End Ctrl+Tab Switch to next browser … Read more

A driver update cures slow Windows 7 shutdowns

This week I cleared Vista out of my home office by upgrading a 6-year-old PC to Windows 7. The machine was in dire need of a tune-up. I figured the money spent on a Win 7 upgrade would extend the desktop PC's life span and save me hours of system maintenance time.

When I ran the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor, the program warned me that the machine's ATI Radeon Xpress 200 display driver and Realtek Audio Manager utility were out-of-date. The PC was otherwise good to go, which was a pleasant surprise considering it shipped in 2005 with … Read more

How to take screenshots in Chrome OS

Google's Chrome OS has the native ability to take screenshots, which is useful for support and training, among other things. We'll show you how to take a screenshot in Chrome OS, find it, and move it to another computer.

Take a screenshot To take a screenshot, press Ctrl and the switch window key (the shortcut key in the top row of the keyboard, between full screen and bright down).

Find the screenshot To find the screenshot, press Ctrl+M, to launch the file manager. You'll see a folder named File Shelf. Within File Shelf, you'll find … Read more

How to remove MacDefender fake antivirus program

A new malware infection has apparently been spreading relatively rapidly among Mac users, and it's unclear both how pervasive the infection is and whether Apple is addressing the problem. What is known, however, is how to get rid of it.

What is it? Most often called MacDefender, but also known as MacProtector and MacSecurity, this bit of malware is a socially engineered threat of a type that's more familiar to Windows users. It often starts with a Web advertisement that suckers you into downloading a rogue antivirus program, which purports to protect you. In fact, once installed it … Read more

How to create your own Google Music OS X Dashboard widget

You just got your shiny Google Music beta invite and you are eager to use it, but you don't like the idea of having to have your browser (or an extra tab) open to stream music on your Mac? We can relate. We created a simple guide to show you how to turn Google Music into a Dashboard widget on your Mac, allowing you to close your browser and still enjoy your streaming music collection.

How to stay safe on Sony's PlayStation Network

If you are a Sony PlayStation Network (PSN) customer you are probably getting a little paranoid. First there was the data breach from last month that exposed customer data and forced Sony to take the network down.

And now, just days after Sony got the service back up and running, it has taken the PSN password reset service offline because it was allowing people to change other customers' passwords if they knew their e-mail address and birth date--information that was stolen in the attack.

Sony says the hole in the PSN password reset site was not exploited in active attacks, … Read more