Search Results for: computers internet amp electronics

Purchasing electronics online – Closeout sites

Closeout sites sometimes offer great prices on great products, but you’ll probably have to look hard to find them. Products on closeouts sites are often refurbished, which means they have been returned by customers and fixed by manufacturers for resale. If you know the product you’re looking for and an estimate of how much it should cost, you may be able to find good deals using closeout sites. I’ll review two of the better closeout sites here today. This is part of a series of blogs covering online electronics retailers. Take a look at a few reviews of comparison sites … Continue reading →

Purchasing electronics online – Comparison sites

Purchasing electronics online has never been easier. Finding the right product for the right price isn’t always so easy. Last week covered some of the electronics retailers with storefronts if you are into window shopping. Today, we’ll begin a series of blogs covering a few of the endless number of Web sites for use in comparing and purchasing electronics online. I’ve tried to choose some of the better ones, though I’m sure I’ve left one or two off the list. Feel free to leave a comment at the end of these blogs with your favorite electronics retailers Web sites. We’ll … Continue reading →

High-Tech Washers

You’ve heard of those new dishwashers that rely on dirt-sniffing electronics – not timers – to shut off. You know about the new vacuums that determine how much soil and grime is on the floor, so suction levels can be adjusted accordingly. And, who hasn’t heard of the state-of-the-art microwaves that can detect the weight of popcorn and apply the right amount of heat to get the perfect pop? So what would you say if I told you that new technology is paving the way for the creation of a washing machine and dryer that calls your cell phone or … Continue reading →

Some Serious Work

Recently I’ve been stranded in a variety of locations without an internet connection. There have been several engagements I needed to attend but there was ample time lost for the work I needed to do. When I was heading to these events I dutifully packed my computer, a pair of headphones, a number of writing utensils, some loose leaf paper and a couple thumb drives (for backup on-the-go). With this limited list of items I could fill the hours of waiting for the events to begin (we were getting there very early) with meaninful and productive work… or so I … Continue reading →

Computer Dictionary: E

With all of the iPhone news out there lately, we have taken a little break with our dictionary terms, but don’t worry, we will get through the entire alphabet. At the end of all of our letters, we will be regular “techies.” Here we go with the latest in the computer dictionary series, the letter “E.” E&M: E&M, stands for “ear and mouth.” It is a term that is used in voice over internet protocol networks, when you make telephone calls using the internet rather than a traditional land-based or mobile phone. E&M refers to a handset, like the traditional … Continue reading →

Repair or Replace Part 1–Televisions

Most of us are savvy shoppers, we’ve heard of (or at times even taken advantage of) pre and post holiday sales where you can find DVD players for $50, TV/VCRs for $89.99 or computers for $99. Let’s face it, in the fluid world of high tech gadgets, it seems if you wait long enough the price on high-end electronics will eventually dip into an affordable range. That’s why whenever my computer, printer or TV breaks I am always faced with the question: “Do I repair it or replace it?” I was faced with this question about six months ago when … Continue reading →

Cleaning your Hard Drive Part 1

“Oh my gosh! My hard drive is full and I am almost out of storage space!” This is one of those thoughts that kick me into “spring cleaning for my computer” mode. If you need room to download those wedding pictures or digital movie you filmed or you just need to clear out some of the clutter so that you can defragment (as explained in this article) I will show you three quick ways to clean up your hard drive some. Delete anything you don’t need to save. This is sort of like throwing out old post-its, memos, images you … Continue reading →

Screenshots – Capture pictures of your computer screen

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Screenshots are very useful and easy to create. Today, I want to introduce screenshots, answering a few questions I have received from readers about them. What is a screenshot? Quite simply, it is a picture of all or part of what is being displayed on your computer monitor. Screenshots are also sometimes called screen captures or screen dumps. While most people tend to use the terms synonymously, others use each term to distinguish the type of screenshot being taken. For example, some will only use the term screen capture to describe capturing video of your screen over time. For general … Continue reading →

Foxit Reader – Free PDF reader and a little more

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If you are a regular reader of the Computer, Internet, & Electronics blog here on Families.com, you’ve probably noticed that I enjoy finding free, useful computer software. Earlier, we discussed CCleaner, a neat little program that helps clean up your computer’s hard drive from lots of scattered, needless files. Now, I want to pass on a free PDF reader that offers a little more than just a way to view PDFs. PDF Review If you are wondering what PDFs are all about, you may want check out the first in a series of blogs I wrote about PDFs. You will … Continue reading →

Giving away your old computer 6 – Bonus Additions

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Before you dump your old computer off on a friend or family member, it is a good idea to take a little time and clean it up. You can also set up the computer so its a functional machine that can at least check email, browse the Internet, edit digital photos, listen to digital music, and type a letter or two. If you are feeling really generous, or are giving the computer to a child for college, you may want to spend a little extra time and money before giving away the computer. This last blog is a series about … Continue reading →