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Home networking explained, Part 2: Optimizing your Wi-Fi network

Editors' note: This post is part of an ongoing series. For the other parts, check out the related stories.

Since my last post on the basics of home networking, which is Part 1 of this series, I've been flooded with even more e-mails than I had been before (which explains why some of you haven't heard back from me). The good news is that nobody is asking about what a router is anymore. I guess I did an OK job explaining that in my previous post.

Most of the e-mails this time asked about how to have the … Read more

Create one-click desktop shortcuts for Web sites in Chrome

You can add bookmarks, favicons to the toolbar, or just type the Web address to get to your favorite Web site. But what if you want something even faster? Evidently the development team behind Google Chrome feels the same way.

Thankfully, the process is very simple: just navigate to a Web site you want extra-fast access to, and then click the wrench icon near the top right-hand corner of the Chrome window. From there, pick Tools and then select Create application shortcuts.

In the pop-up window that appears, pick the places you'd like to have a shortcut for the … Read more

Add notes to Gmail messages in Chrome

When your e-mail inbox starts filling up it, it becomes more difficult to keep track of what you need to do for each message you've received. Maybe you need to get verification on a work contract, add a reminder to call Grandma Betty about one of her famous recipes, or follow up with someone once you have more information. Unfortunately, Gmail doesn't offer a solid feature to add notes like these.

You might be thinking: what about drafts? The issue with creating a draft is the possibility of sending said draft. This could cause issues with personal or … Read more

How to make a supersimple bounce flash for your dSLR

The internal flash of a dSLR comes in handy when shooting in low light and indoors but can sometimes be too harsh on your subjects. Bouncing the flash is a great way to distribute the light more uniformly, allowing for more than just foreground assets to show up in the photo. Bouncing the flash is also great for avoiding harsh shadows and those pesky red eyes.

So how do you bounce a flash? Well, the easiest way is to use an external flash attachment. The problem is that external flashes are bulky, heavy, and cumbersome to travel with. This makes them less desirable to carry around and decreases the chances you'll actually have one when you need it most.… Read more

Design basic badges or business cards for free

Paying someone to do design work can become expensive. That's not to say that designers aren't always worth their cost, but if funds are tight, it might be time to look toward another solution.

MakeBadge.com offers free tools for creating badges or business cards with its easy-to-use online editor. You can even import your logo or other graphics, free of charge. Here's how to get started:

First you'll want to head over to MakeBadge.com. Once there, you can get started on your business cards or badges right away -- the editor loads and … Read more

The best in-ear headphone in the world: The FitEar ToGo 334

All of the best sounding in-ear headphones I've tested over the years have been custom-molded to my ears models. Prices vary, but the $399 UE-4 was the least expensive, and most of the top-of-the-line models are more than $1,000. Those prices don't include the fee the audiologist charges to make molds of your ear canals, and the fees add $100 to the price of the headphones. Customs ensure a perfect fit, and the best isolation from external noise. Plus they can't fall out of your ears,

The FitEar ToGo 334 in-ear headphone is made in Japan … Read more

Stay motivated with free, fast-paced GetWorkDoneMusic

Background music can serve as a great tool for motivation and inspiration. For those times when you need a higher level of productivity and concentration, chances are you're looking for some faster music. This is where GetWorkDoneMusic.com comes to your rescue.

Ryan Ghods, creator of GetWorkDoneMusic, offered this explanation behind building the Web site:

Music is one of my ultimate, super-productivity life hacks. A great, seamless blend of tracks keeps me going on a single task without getting distracted. Somewhat of a drummer to the work I'm doing, so I don't go and open … Read more

Tips for deduping Android contacts

The contacts app on your phone is the most boring, neglected app ever created. I don't care how much you love your phone -- the only reason you're reading a blog post about contacts right now is because things have gotten out of hand.

Are there people listed in your phone three or four times? Do you have 500 contacts, but only 10 of them have phone numbers? Well, then, it's time to take out the garbage.

The video above has all of my best advice, but I'm going to use this blog post to distill … Read more

Apple Up-to-Date Program woes continue

Apple's Up-to-Date Program for issuing qualified users free copies of its latest version of OS X has been a bit of a rocky road.

For those who purchased Mac systems after June 10, Apple is offering a free upgrade to OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, which requires submitting a serial number and purchase information to Apple's Up-to-Date Web site followed by receiving a redemption code for Mountain Lion in the Mac App Store. Unfortunately this process has hit a few snags.

Apple's Up-to-Date Program prematurely went live on Monday, two days before it was scheduled to … Read more