Being a technology writer (and an unapologetic enthusiast of shiny new things), I’m constantly trying out new software. I love it! …But I don’t love the after effects. An app experimentalist’s PC clogs up with junk pretty fast. Every few months I have to go through my app catalog and get rid of all the …
A reader’s hard drive is making new and unpleasant noises. Could it be on its last legs? I would say yes. If your hard drive is making sounds it never made before, especially grinding or screeching noises, you have to assume that it won’t be around for long. Any moment now, it could be as …
As New Year’s resolutions go, “going paperless” is a perennial Top 10 contender, somewhere between “lose weight” and “save money.” But if you’ve ever resolved to digitize your documents before, you’ve learned that talking about it is one thing. Actually doing it is a tricky proposition. If you’re like most people, you’re already comfortable with managing …
In the daily deluge of email, it’s all too easy to send a message and never get a response (and, on the other end, receive an email and forget to respond). This Gmail script makes it easy to find the emails you’ve sent to someone who could use a little nudging or reminder. The Gmail …
Here’s a little secret: I can’t stand taking my hands off the keyboard. Mice and trackpads are great tools, but they aren’t always an ideal (or speedy) solution for navigating the Web. That’s where keyboard shortcuts come in. Of course, memorizing a list of keyboard commands can be just as painful as repeatedly shifting your …
Andrew Cheng asked for advice on the best ways to transfer files between his Android phone and his Windows PC. The obvious way is to physically connect the phone to the PC, then drag and drop. But the obvious way isn’t necessarily the best–or the most convenient. [Email your tech questions toanswer@pcworld.com.] But let’s start …
It’s holiday time, and America’s kitchens will soon be filled with laptops, tablets, and smartphones as home chefs follow along with all those great looking recipes you can find on the Internet. And you know what that that means: sticky, icky gunk smeared across your device’s display. But wait! Holiday cooking doesn’t have to smudge …
“Commander Dave” Turner wants to move his documents, photos, and other data files to another drive. Whether you move your data folders to a second drive or a new partition on your existing drive, you’re making a good move. You can better protect both your Windows installation and your libraries if you keep them in …
A calendar made from old family photos is a great gift for parents, grandparents, and similarly sentimental family members. And by old photos, we mean those printed from film and trapped in an album, envelope, or shoe box. It’s easy to upload newer, digital images to an online service to make all sorts of personalized …
Whitney and her neighbors want to get on the same network, and share the same Internet connection. You can do this, and depending on your homes’ geography, it might even be relatively easy. I’m going to tell you how to do it, but I’m also going to tell you why you probably shouldn’t. [Email your …