Tabbed browsing is one of the most popular features of Firefox, and IE just doesn’t do it. Whereas I can have multiple sites open in one Firefox browser, I have to have several different instances of IE going to do the same. Well, Microsoft recently issued a “me-too” update to offer tabbed browsing to users of Internet Explorer. However, it...

Many people have movies on VHS tape that they would like to get into a digital format for safekeeping. Well, you can use your PC to do this yourself. You need to get a video capture device for your PC as well as a DVD burner. Video capture devices come in varying formats, from PCI cards to USB or Firewire connected devices. Once set up, plug your VCR output into...

This one is more of an informational heads-up than a tip. I have seen several times people make a backup file from a program such as Quickbooks and then try to open the backup file from the CD to test it. Sometimes they will use the backup utility included with the program…other times they will simply copy and paste the data file(s) from their hard drive...

Inline with yesterday’s cleaning tip, I offer you another: buff your screen. Sometimes people use their CRTs or LCDs for years and not even notice that they are peering right through a huge layer of dust. ITs very easly to clean. You don’t want to use just any cleaner, though. Your CRT might look like glass on the front, but directly spraying Windex...

Everybody needs to clean their PCs sometimes. They get layered with dust and grime just like anything else. Compressed air in a can is one of the most useful tools you can have for performing this necessary task. By using the included straw, you can finely direct the air into places where it is most needed. Clean your keyboard by turning it sideways (side down)...

With Outlook as well as many other email clients, you can set up a series of filters to be run based on the emails you receive. One of the thing you can do, though, is associate a particular wave file from your computer with incoming email from a particular contact. In Outlook, open up the Rules and Alerts dialog by either pressing the button in the toolbar or...

Windows XP is currently the OS of choice among most PC users. Most new PCs come with XP Home, but some don’t know the difference between Home and the Pro version. Basically, the two operating systems are essentially the same thing. Both have the same applications and multimedia features. The difference is that the Pro version has more built-in capability...

This is a very simple tip, but useful and it can keep you out of trouble. If you have a virus scanner such as Norton Antivirus, you have an option when you right-click on a file to scan it for viruses. you should make a habit of doing this on any file you download from the internet or recieve via your email. Always scan it BEFORE you run it, and this will keep...

OK, this one is kinda fun. Its a website called the Wayback Machine, and it allows you to view cached copies of popular websites from as far back as 1996. Enter some of your favorites websites (such as PCMech) into the search bar and you get a list of dates. Click on one and you get a blast from the past…you get to see that site as it looked back at that...

People with notebook PCs on the go from time to time connect to the internet using a WiFi hotspot. For those not in-the-know, this is basically the slang term for a spot that has a wireless network which you can tap into and get online. I myself use them from time to time. Some restaurants have them. Sometimes I need to get some work done while awaiting an...