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10 tips and tricks for Windows 7

These 10 videos from CNET TV cover a range of useful tips for Windows 7 users, including how to make a system repair disc, how to customize the Start menu, what some of the best hot keys for the operating system are, and more.

There's also advice on how to upgrade from either Windows XP or Vista to Windows 7, how to fix Ethernet driver problems in VMWare, how to burn an ISO directly from the newly enhanced Windows Explorer, and how to get to the jump list from your left mouse button.

Some of my personal faves we … Read more

CNET's Quick Guide to Netbooks

The low-cost, low-power family of laptop computers known as Netbooks have become a tempting choice, offering access to basic PC tasks for a fraction of the price of traditional laptops or desktops. But wading into the Netbook waters is not as simple as it looks. These once-uniform machines have splintered into different subcategories, each offering different features at different prices.

Our handy Netbook guide offers tips and advice for picking the perfect Netbook. Things to keep in mind include how much you want to spend, how long the battery needs to last, and if mobile broadband access is a necessity. … Read more

Top gadget travel accessories

The requisite "what's in my gadget bag" feature is a mainstay of consumer electronics coverage these days--we now know what David Pogue (The New York Times), Joshua Topolsky (Engadget editor-in-chief), and Dave Zatz (tech blogger extraordinaire) tote around with them on a daily basis. But I wanted to get a bit more granular. If you want to know which laptop, camera, media player, or phone to buy, there's an app a site for that.

But what about the accessories you need to keep all of those gadgets juiced up and ready for action? Or ways to avoid traveling with three or four proprietary AC chargers stuffed into your bag? That's what I'd like to focus on: some tips that should help anyone who's traveling with multiple portable gadgets, whatever they may be.

First, a few ground rules:… Read more

Home theater speaker buying tips

First thing, determine your system's priorities. Will you watch movies or listen to music? Most folks do one or the other.

Since more home theater speaker buyers watch movies than listen to music, I'll start there.

It's hardly an overstatement to claim movie-oriented home theater systems succeed or fail based on their center channel's performance and sound quality. The center speaker delivers virtually all the dialog and it can, depending on the mix, convey upward of 80 percent of a movie's soundtrack. The center speaker has a big job.

So invest 30 percent of your 5.1, 6.1, or 7.1 system budget on the center speaker, the Center Centric HT approach. As always, when it comes to sound quality, size matters. Bigger centers tend to sound better than small ones.

The subwoofer is the next most important player in a home theater sound system. Invest the next 30 percent of your dollars on the sub. The sub is largely responsible for home theater impact and power. … Read more

Mozilla gives add-on developers a tip jar

Mozilla has introduced a new pilot program for Firefox developers to make a little money off add-ons they've created. Developers now have the option to place a "contribution" button on their add-on page, which lets users donate any amount they wish via PayPal.

Contributions are optional, meaning users can continue to download and use add-ons without having to pay anything. Mozilla is also letting developers pick their own suggested price, although users can choose to pay whatever they wish.

For the pilot program, add-on creators get the entire amount of the contribution, minus PayPal's transaction fee. … Read more

How to: Get the most out of your subwoofer

I recently participated in a Podcast focusing on subwoofer performance with Home Entertainment magazine's Editor-in-Chief Geoff Morrison, Director of (loudspeaker company) Revel Products, Kevin Voecks, and Brent Butterworth, a freelance writer for a number of magazines including Sound & Vision.

Voecks immediately zeroed in on the importance of placement, which is absolutely crucial to getting the best out of any sub. I'd go so far as to say an average sub, perfectly placed and set up, will outperform a great sub that's been carelessly placed and set up. That's because the sub's interaction with room acoustics can play havoc with sound, all too frequently resulting in boomy, uneven bass. … Read more

iPhone keyboard tricks

Does the iPhone spell check drive you crazy? Turn it off!

Go to Settings, then General, then Keyboard and turn off autocorrection. You can turn off autocapitalization, too.

Also while you're there, you can turn on or off the option for a caps lock key and turn on or off the option to make double tapping the space bar type a period--good for typing Web addresses quickly.

Turn on push notifications for iPhone

Push is finally here! Here's how to get push notifications on your iPhone.

You need to have an app installed, like BeeJiveIM, that uses notifications.

Then go to settings, then notifications, and turn on notifications.

For more precise control, under notifications, you can go into a particular apps settings and choose to have notifications by sound, text alert, or having a number badge show up on the app's icon.