How To

How to restore deleted Gmail contacts

Google Contacts has plenty of room for storing the addresses and information for all your friends and business associates. Unfortunately, it isn't too choosy about who it adds, leaving you with info you didn't plan on keeping around. So you start deleting contacts and suddenly delete the wrong one from your address book. Luckily, Gmail Contacts has a restore feature nestled into one of its "more actions" menus.

Step 1: Log in to Gmail and click on Contacts in the top left corner.

Step 2: Click on the "More actions..." menu, just above your … Read more

How to get the new Gmail right now

Rumors about a new Gmail have been circling the Web, and the changes are definitely coming.

Google explains that Gmail will get a lift over the next few months, and is "part of a Google-wide effort to bring you an experience that's more focused, elastic, and effortless". Users can also expect changes in Google Calendar, which will be rolled out over the next few days.

It's unclear when the new Gmail interface will take over, but until then, you can start using it with this trick:

First, sign in to Gmail and head to Mail settings. … Read more

How to sell an item on eBay using your Android device

If you've ever bought something from eBay, you know that it's painless (unless you get sniped at the very last second by some nameless fiend). Selling can take a more serious effort--but it can be nearly as painless as buying. The Android eBay app is a joy to use and might just send you searching through the attic for old stuff with barcodes, just to see if you can squeeze a few more bucks out of your old books or gadgets. Here's how to get started:

Install and run the eBay app.

Choose your preferred site, then … Read more

How to import all Instagram photos into Google+

Now that you're on Google+, the next step after settling in is to add some color to your profile--not in the over-indulgent Myspace kind of way--but with photos.

Although Google automatically adds Picasa albums to your profile, you might be wondering how to get other images, like Instagram photos, on there without downloading and re-uploading them one-by-one.

Enter Instaport, it's a free web service that swiftly exports all your Instagram photos into a ZIP folder on your hard drive. 

Step 1: Go to Instaport.me and sign in with your Instagram account. … Read more

Four ways to get creative with Instagram

If you've seen retro-filtered photos from your friends lately, they're probably using Instagram. It's a free mobile application that lets you give your photos funky filters. Within a few minutes anyone can transform a photo from blah to artsy and eye-catching.

Folded into the app is a social network, as each user gets a personal Instagram profile and can share filtered photos on Web sites like Facebook and Twitter.

Whether you're a seasoned Instagrammer or just learning about the service, CNET's Ariel Nunez has some tips on how to get a little more out of … Read more

How to invite your pals to Google+

A lot of people want to get in on the beta test of Google+, Google's new social-networking service. If you're one of the folks in the in-crowd, there's something you can do to get your friends on board right now.

And it's not as obvious as clicking an "invite friends" button to invite them directly. Google opened up that possibility last night but then shut it down after a fleeting moment because of what Google's Vic Gundotra called "insane demand."

Instead, you have to use a built-in e-mail option for Google+ … Read more

How to get started using Twitter

Twitter has been around for a while, but with its coming integration with iOS 5 and the unbelievable number of celebrities who continue to join, Twitter is becoming kinda cool.

Celebs aside, there are many more useful reasons to join Twitter. Breaking news hits the Twittersphere first, and whether it's a devastating earthquake in Japan or Osama bin Laden's death, users are always the first to know.

You'll find that Twitter isn't a place where people discuss breakfast (OK, sometimes), but a place for people to connect over common interests and share information.

See for yourself. … Read more

How to look inside Google+ without an invite

If you haven't received a Google+ invite by now, good luck. The service is over capacity, and it might be a while before Google invites more users into its "field test" period. However, you can still get a peek inside Google+ without an exclusive pass.

As Search Engine Land points out, Google+ users can selectively choose to make posts public. So when CNET reporter Declan McCullagh posted his thoughts on Google+ yesterday, anyone could access it.

Google is indexing these public posts, and although it's not immediately obvious, anyone (including non-members) can see them. Here's … Read more

How to change the default font in Gmail

Composing electronic correspondence can lack the personal touch that handwritten notes and letters possess. As a substitute, you can still change the font style on letters to friends and family--revealing just a small piece of your personality compared to your own handwriting. However, it adds just enough to make it seem less robotic and more "you." Here's how to change the default font in your Gmail, so you don't have to manually choose it every time:

Step 1: Log in to Gmail from your Web browser.

Step 2: Open the settings menu in the upper right-hand … Read more