“I’m shopping for a new PC, and it’s difficult to get an overall rating for how fast a computer is, under real world conditions. Some benchmarks show raw CPU speed, but I’m looking for more than that. Can you recommend any free software to measure system performance?”
Bob Rankin: How Fast is Your PC? Read More »
The 90’s are over, and you still don’t have a webcam? Lots of laptops come with built-in webcams, but if you have a desktop computer, it’s pretty simple to install and use one. If you’re not convinced, read on for some fun and practical uses for a webcam…
Bob Rankin: Time to Buy a Webcam? Read More »
We’re buried in paper, despite all the things we have digitized. Letters, bills, receipts, and other paper documents keep piling up. Some must be kept for years as tax records. What can we do with this growing mountain of paper, besides buy another filing cabinet?
Bob Rankin: Digital Scanners To The Rescue Read More »
“I’m buying an external hard drive for my backups, as you have often recommended. But I’ve bogged down in the details – capacity, transfer speed, USB vs. Firewire, etc. Can you give me some tips on choosing an external drive for backups?”
Bob Rankin: All External Hard Drives are Not Created Equal Read More »
Firefox 5 was released on June 21, 2011, just a few months after the debut of its predecessor, Firefox 4. Eventually, Firefox 5 will be pushed out to all users. But if you’re tempted to upgrade right away, you may want to read what’s new in Firefox 5 and what you may lose by upgrading…
Bob Rankin: Should You Install Firefox 5? Read More »
“I’ve heard about download accelerator programs that claim to increase download speed by 300 percent or more. Are these scams, or for real? And if they can do that, how does it work? I’d like to know your advice on whether to use one or not.”
Bob Rankin: Do Download Accelerators Really Work? Read More »
By Bob Rankin
The Microsoft Windows operating system is an incredibly complex beast. Inevitably, things go wrong and it can be difficult to track down the source of the glitch. But you can put away the sledgehammer, because there are plenty of free troubleshooters you can use to fix most problems. Here’s my recommended list of free Windows problem solvers…
Bob Rankin: Free Windows Troubleshooting Tools Read More »
By Bob Rankin
Have you ever Googled your name or phone number? In an age of powerful search engines, social media, and changing attitudes about privacy, you might be shocked to see what a casual searcher can learn about you. If you’re okay with that level of transparency, then fine. If not, read on for some tips on what you can do about it…
Bob Rankin: I Just Googled Myself, & I Feel Fine! Read More »
By Bob Rankin
Spear phishing is a cybercrime technique that lures victims into revealing passwords, credit card data, and other sensitive information by masquerading as a communication from a trusted entity. The spear phishing communication – usually an email – looks very much like a familiar email format sent by your bank, Facebook, or anyone from which you’re accustomed to getting email. It may even include your name and other details which reassure you that “this is someone I know”. But beware, it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing…
Bob Rankin: Spear Phishing & Internet Security Read More »