Category: Advice

Question: We're taking a trip cross-country this summer, and I want to bring a video camera for some home movies. I've got a couple hundred bucks to spend but don't want to break the bank. I've seen a lot of these small, solid-state camcorders recently, and I'm wondering which one you recommend? Hey Reader: We live in wonderful times. There are many styles of camcorders to choose from these ...

Burning question: Should I pay extra for an extended warranty? The short answer: No. The much-longer answer: Probably not, though it depends on what you buy, what the plan covers, and how techie you are. We do recommend warranties for theft-and-loss-prone handheld devices like cell phones, but it's likely that your laptop, TV or cell phone won't bite the dust in that narrow span of time ...

Registering early is the best way to get the username or URL of your choice on social networking services. But being first isn't always enough. Sites like Twitter and MySpace, for example, reserve the right to "reclaim" a URL for celebrities, brands, and public figures. So if someone with the same name as yours becomes the next American Idol, don't be surprised if the link to your Twitter page ...

Welcome to another edition of Hype Check, where we give much-anticipated new gadgets or services a test drive and tell you whether or not they live up to the hype. Today, we set our critical eyes on the Viliv S5. What it is: The Viliv S5 is a handheld UMPC -- ultra mobile PC -- that runs Windows XP and has specs comparable to that of most current netbooks, but also includes a touch screen and ...

We've covered some of the more important features of Windows 7 before -- including the improvements in security and speed -- but there are a host of other, lesser-mentioned features that make using Windows 7 much more pleasurable than Vista. Lifehacker, a must read here at the Switched offices, has compiled a list of its favorite less-hyped features in Microsoft's upcoming operating system. One ...

Question: I'm planning a vacation with my wife and kids this summer, and I want one camera to cover it all. Something small enough to take around with us wherever we go, and most importantly, super durable and waterproof so we can take it to the beach without giving daddy a heart attack. Any suggestions? Hey reader: "Tough" cameras have definitely been the rage lately, with several of the ...

Vast stores of sensitive details about you are living in computer networks all over the world. This is information -- secrets shared in e-mails, details of your finances, records of your purchases and disease diagnoses – that you may consider extremely private. Well, businesses, governments and crooks alike think this information is valuable, too, and want control. We've isolated the ...

When Paul Boutin of the New York Times' Gadget Wise blog wanted to convert his aging Toshiba laptop into a blazing-fast, blogging powerhouse, he took some unconventional steps in the name of performance. For starters, one of his five controversial ways to speed up your PC is uninstalling your antivirus software, which is definitely a bad idea. While we're on board with some of Boutin's other ...

Faulty installation of flat-screen televisions can pose a real risk to children when they're not properly secured, according to a new study recently published by the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH. According to the study, nearly 8,500 children visited emergency rooms in 2007 because of accidents involving falling televisions. A four-year-old named Dymounique Wilson died in just ...

Share With the advent of e-mail and file attachments, faxes have slowly disappeared. But, every so often, you'll come across a government agency, or employer, that requires you to actually fax a document. Sure, you could buy a fax machine for those rare occasions, or head to your local Kinko's or Staples, but those are expensive propositions. Fortunately, there are several services online ...

Inevitably, your fancy HDTV and flat-panel monitor are going to collect dust. But how should you clean them? Many people go the Windex route, while others splurge for the pricey cleaning products sold at BestBuy and the like. Truth is, however, the best way to clean your LCD and plasma screens is with a soft cloth and water, says Consumer Reports. The chemicals in Windex and other glass ...

In 1998, New York's then mayor Rudy Giuliani created uproar when he proposed a zero-tolerance crime policy that included nabbing people for jaywalking. Anyone who's strolled New York knows that jaywalking is as common as hot dog vendors and yellow taxis. The online world is full of digital jaywalkers, crossing out of bounds on copyright, privacy protections or service agreements. Most of ...

Share If you're a Windows user, it pretty much goes without saying that you've encountered a frozen program before. Often these jammed apps get labeled with the dreaded "Not Responding" message and simply refuse to do anything, even close. Usually, the only solution is to open the task manager, find the appropriate process, and choose to close it. Fortunately, a quicker and easier way exists. ...

Save precious laptop battery power for those long flights by tweaking a few basic settings. First, in the 'Performance and Maintenance' control panel, set it to 'Max Battery.' Then, turn down the brightness as far as you can, and turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. For more tech tips, click here. ...

Keyboard shortcuts save time, hassle, and work in virtually every app on PCs and Macs. Here are the most popular (for Macs, use the Apple key instead of Control): 'Ctrl + a' (select all); 'Ctrl + c' (copy); 'Ctrl + v' (paste); 'Ctrl + x' (cut); 'Ctrl + z' (undo last action); 'Ctrl + y' (redo last action); 'Ctrl + w' (close window); 'Ctrl + q' (quit); 'Ctrl + p' (print). For more tech tips, ...