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Stymie Thieves by Password-Protecting Your Laptop
At a minimum, you should have a non-guessable password -- one with a combination of words and numbers -- for logging in to your laptop. Disable auto-login for all accounts, and require a password to wake your laptop from sleep or standby. If you're on a Windows machine, go to Start/Control Panel/Power Options and make sure to check the box for "Prompt for password when computer resumes from standby." For a Mac, go to System Preferences/Security and check the box beside "Require password to wake this computer from sleep or screen saver." Then, get in the habit of closing the lid of your laptop every time you physically leave it, even if you think it will just be for a few seconds. That's time aplenty to have your stuff swiped.
Download Entire Flickr Sets at Once
Speedy Hard Drive = Speedier PC
Other than adding as much RAM as possible, a quick, relatively cheap way to gain noticeably better performance from your aging PC is to upgrade the hard drive to a faster model. The faster a hard drive spins (measured in revolutions per minute or rpm), the more quickly it can access data and pass it back and forth to the processor. For desktop computers, you should get at least a 7,200 rpm drive, although 10,000 rpm is ideal. For laptops, 5,400 rpm (standard on new machines) should do the trick, but 7,200 rpm is recommended. As always, before buying, check to make sure your computer can handle the specs of whatever drive you select.
Donate Old Cell Phones to Help Others
Rather than sell or recycle your old cell phone (or throw away, God forbid!), consider donating it to one of the many charitable organizations that put them to good use. Hit charityguide.org for a list and description of places that accept used cell phones. And as always, make sure to delete all personal information from your phone before putting it in the mail (including the memory card). Usually, you can simply go to Settings/Security and choose to restore your phone to factory settings. If not, Google for instructions.
Take iPhone Screenshots
If you need the content of a Web page but can't be bothered to cut and paste text, or want to memorialize your amazing word stack on Bananagrams, use your iPhone's built-in ability to take screenshots. Hold down the Home button, and then press and release the Sleep button (on top). Once you hear the familiar shutter sound effect, you'll be able to access your new snaps in your Photos collection. It's especially useful for taking self-portraits, a notoriously difficult task since it require that you hit a touchscreen button without seeing the screen. Just go to the Camera app, and then repeat the above steps. (The downside is that your shot will, of course, include the image of the shutter button bar, too).
$1 DIY Camera Monopod
The Easy Way to Sell Old Gadgets
If you aren't willing to donate old electronics to a non-profit organization, and don't feel like going through the hassle of haggling with buyers on eBay, try one of these services:
- Gazelle.com (formerly Second Rotation) lets you input the condition of and details about your electronics. Then, based on current auction market prices, it makes you an offer. If you accept, administrators will send you a box, confirm receipt of the package, and then finalize the offer; if you decline, they'll send your stuff back for free.
- Best Buy's trade-in program is two-fold. You can exchange products purchased at Best Buy for cash or credit. (After you've input details online, the site will give you an offer, which you can print out and bring to a local store.) Alternatively, if you purchased your gadget at another store, you can get an estimate, print out the label, toss the package in the mail, and receive your gift card or check within two weeks.
A Quick Cure for Ailing Windows PCs
Ultimate iPhone Keyboard Shortcut
Instantly jump to the top of almost any scrollable iPhone app by tapping the status bar at the top of the screen (where the clock is). It's especially handy for when you scroll 195 messages deep into your e-mail inbox and want to go to your newest message again. It works in virtually every Apple-branded app (and some third-party ones, as well), and works in contacts, Safari Web pages, and within e-mails, themselves.
Last-Ditch Prescription for Scratched Discs
At some time or another, we've all scratched the life out of a DVD or CD. If the old standby repairs don't work (gently rubbing them with a soft cloth and mild abrasive like toothpaste or Brasso), it's worth trying a rubdown with Rain-X. Instead of buffing out those fine pits and scratches, the Rain-X apparently fills them, making discs readable again. If you do find success, be sure to make a backup copy of your media ASAP.
Keep Your Mac Humming
As stable as Macs tend to be, they still have their hiccups. There's one bit of housecleaning you should do before and after you install any system software, and whenever your Mac starts acting funky (programs stall, or crash, or lock up): "repair permissions." First, quit out of all applications, go to Applications/Utilities, and then start up Disk Utility. In the left panel, select your system hard drive, and then, on the bottom of the window, click "repair permissions." Depending on the speed of your Mac, and how long it's been since you last performed the operation, it could take 15 minutes or so. Power users may want to check out the free utility Onyx, which lets you repair permissions as well as perform a host of other fun maintenance jobs.
How to Fill Up on Starbucks Wi-Fi (Even If You Don't Have an iPhone)
As iPhone users know, you're never too far away from a Starbucks and its sweet, free (to iPhone users) Wi-Fi when you need to get your data on. The rest of us can jump online for virtually free as well. Sign up for a free Starbucks Rewards card, put at least $5 on it, and you'll get 2 hours of free Wi-Fi every day, so long as you use your card for a transaction (from loading up more money to buying a small coffee) at least once every 30 days. If you miss the 30-day window or fall below a $5 balance, you can load up again at the counter and be back online by the time you get back to your seat.
Thaw Your Frozen iPod
Impress your less tech-savvy friends by rebooting their seemingly "bricked," or frozen, iPod. For older, click-wheel versions: Toggle the Hold switch from on to off, then press and hold the Menu and Center buttons simultaneously until the Apple logo appears. For iPod Touches and iPhones, simultaneously press the Sleep button (on top) and Home button until the Apple logo appears. (Ignore the option to shut it down and keep holding.) Ta-da! You just saved someone a couple hundies!
Share Your Internet Connection Wirelessly, Without a Router
If you have more than one computer or a Wi-Fi phone at home, but no Wi-Fi router, you can still share your Internet connection wirelessly from the PC that's hooked to your modem. The gist is that the main PC broadcasts its Internet connection over its Wi-Fi card and thus acts like a router itself, allowing other devices to connect. For step-by-step instructions, click here for Windows Vista PCs, here for Windows XP, and here for Macs.
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