Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Computer Tips [ Erase Your Internet Footprint + Missing Hard Drive Space + Amazing Download Plays Every Video ] 04/09/2009

Computer Tipswww.worldstart.com

Quick Tips

Mp3 Players and You

So the progression goes... We started with vinyl records, moved to eight-tracks and tapes and then, eventually, compact discs came around and made all of them obsolete. Of course, even that doesn't matter because now the MP3 reigns supreme; bringing music out of the confines of physical media and transforming it into digital data. No longer do we have to worry about our discs scratching, or our tapes unwinding. Now we just have to worry about what kind of device to put the stuff on!

There are the ever-famous iPods, of course, and although the expense for some of the nicer ones boarder the equivalent of a month's rent, you get the satisfaction of knowing that you have the coolest equipment on the block. What isn't told is that although iPods are nice, the extra functions – like games, video support and iTunes downloads - are the real draw, and have little impact on their music playing ability. If you just want to get music on device to go, then just about any MP3 player out there should suffice. In other words, you don't need an iPod to rock out!

Another misconception is that MP3 players are difficult to get music onto. This process can be as easy as plugging the USB cable that came with your music player into your computer and dragging files over from your hard drive. The iPod family requires iTunes, playlists and other protocol to do this.

It's a lot easier than you think, and if you want to bring your music collection with you everywhere you go there's no better way than the MP3!

~Andrew

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One more day left in the week... ahh, the sweet smell of the weekend! First, though, we must take in the sights and sounds of Thursday; and all the wonderful tips and deals from Worldstart! If you're feeling a bit smarter on MP3 players, then travel downwards to learn all about paging files and drive space lost, April's Office Tip on controlling your Clipboard and covering your Internet browsing tracks. We've also got Gary's Download of the Week, as well as Amanda's Cool Site! It's not the end of the week just yet, but it's close enough! Have a good one!

Announcements

 

The Entertainment Center

Sansa mp4-mp3 Player

That Fits In Your Pocket!

(All I Can Say Is That This Thing is Sweeeeet!!!)

Here at WorldStart, we do our best to give you valuable "technical" tips and ideas that can help make your life more productive and fun! Last week, as you may recall, we ran a poll asking: "How often do you use an mp3 player/Digital Music Player?". The results were that 65.03% of those who took the poll Have Never Used An mp3 Player!!! (Nearly 11% didn't even know what an mp3 player was!)

So, we decided that this is an area that we can shed a little bit of light cuz a bunch of you are really missin' out!

Very simply, an mp3 player is a portable device that plays "digital" audio files. That's it. It gets its name ("mp3") from the name of the type of these files. Microsoft Word is a ".doc" file. Excel can be referred to as an ".xls" file. These audio files are labeled "mp3" and someone cleverly decided to name the devices that play these files, "mp3 players". (I know...whoever had that idea didn't win any awards for imagination but it did keep things simple.)

So, maybe you like to listen to songs on your computer when you're at your desk. But, what if you're NOT at your desk! That's where technology comes in. (After all, that's why you got a computer in the first place, to make technology work for you!)

So these mp3 players are small, portable "players" that you can carry around with you . If this reminds you of those portable cassette players "back in the day", you're on the right track. But if you recall, those tapes couldn't hold very much music, so you had to carry around a boatload of tapes, right? (You may have even had one of those "cassette carriers"...what a hassle!)

So, O.K., what if you could carry ALL of those songs (and then some!) inside a device that also played those songs - and, it was smaller than the entire cassette player? Pretty neat, heh? Well, that's what this mp3 player can do.

So, how do you get all those songs onto this thing? Pretty simple actually.

Plug one end of the cable (that's included) into the player and the end into a USB slot in your computer. Your computer will then show you a message letting you know that you plugged the player in.

Next, fire-up Windows Media Player on your computer.

Hit the "Sync" Tab on Windows Media Player. You'll then see this screen image below. Here you see that the two songs that are on the left side are the songs that I have on my computer. The mp3 player (labeled, "Sansa PMP -SanDisk") appears on the right side. Click on the songs you want to copy, drag them over to the mp3 player and drop 'em - that's it. You're ready to Rock 'n Roll!

Sansa mp3 Player

Oh, and check out the controls - very intuitive, very easy to use!

Let me tell you about another idea I think you're gonna love. Chances are, you've visited some websites that had audio files that you could download to your computer. These could be lectures, recorded teleconferences, pre-recorded radio shows, whatever. You'd love to listen to them but you never seem to have the time when you're at your desk. Too bad you couldn't listen to those recordings some other time, like, ohhh, maybe while your driving, walking or even working out. Well, now you can! Go ahead and download those recordings to your computer, "sync" them to your mp3 player just like we did above and now you can listen to those files at your convenience!

But hang on a sec...it gets better!

Some players, in addition to playing audio files (mp3 files), can also play VIDEO FILES, also referred to as mp4 files. (And, "Yes", these devices are called, "mp4 players"! See, there IS a method to this computer madness!) "You mean to tell me these can play VIDEOS??" Yep...sure can! And you can carry them where ever you want to go!

Now keep in mind these players are limited based on how much storage room they have. So you're not going to get "Gone With The Wind" on there. Most people have videos from Video Camcorders (great way to see videos of the family!) or short video clips from the Internet. But you can carry these video clips with you!

Speaking of "family", you probably have a few photos in your wallet or purse. How would you like to be able to have an entire photo album...yep, stored on this same device? Well, hold on, cuz most mp4 players can also "read" jpg files (i.e., "photos")! Hmmm...starting to get interesting, isn't it?

So, how would you like to have a simple little device that can carry (and play):

TON of songs, recordings and other audio files
Videos files and
Photos
and will fit in your pocket!

Well, THAT'S what we're talkin' about!!!

As you may imagine, these "players" come in all different shapes and sizes, each with greater or lesser capabilities. Like anything else, the more you spend, the more options you get...usually. But, as you probably already know, we like to do things a LOT different! To make a long story short, we've been on the look out for a great little player that's easy to use, yet jammed pack full of features. And...at a fantastic price. Well, we got one that fits all those requirements!!!

This little honey plays mp3 files and mp4 files has 4 GB of memory, has a clear and vivid video screen, and is made by SanDisk, which is a company with a strong reputation!

Oh yeah....you're gonna LOVE this thing! Just think...carry around hours and hours of songs that you can play whenever and where ever you are. Plus, no more havin' to jam only a few photos in your wallet or purse when you can carry around a photo album worth of pictures!

This mp3/mp4 player is loaded with tons of features. It even has an Equalizer with 7 pre-set settings. (try the "Bass Setting", that's my favorite one!)

And this unit comes complete with everything you need to get started!

Sansa mp4-mp3 Player

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of "earbuds", (as you may have read in our newsletters) so I use a different set than the ones that come with this unit. This is what I use and the sound is fantastic! (It may not make any difference you; this is just one of those things I'm kind of picky about.)

And, by the way, this uses a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery, which I also love. Anyway, there's a bunch more features that are listed on the product page if you want to read all the "specs".

Here's the deal on this: We were able to get a few of these units...at a really great price. That's it. We've seen this same player listed on the web for, believe it not - $216!!! (Ouch!) But, like I said, we got a great deal, so we can pass that along to you. And we want to do this to make it especially to those of you who have never had a chance to use one of these before! So, we're letting these great little mp3/mp4 units go for only $48.97 and US Shipping is FREE!!!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=5018

PS - RUN, don't walk to the checkout on this one, cuz this really is one Sweet Deal!


Special Note - Hey everyone, Steve here. Before we start, I want to let you know I personally think this is about the best value EVER on this kind of software (bests the snot out of McAfee and Norton)! They have really rewritten the book and taken it to the next level with this one. I'm running it on my personal desktop and on my laptop. You've gotta check this one out, you'll be glad you did. PLUS this is the current version that sells for $50 all day long, but we have our lowest price ever on it - just $9.97!! Really!


Warning - Last Chance! Our Supplier Is Almost OUT Of These!!



WOW!! You've Never Seen One Like This!

The Next Generation In Anti-Virus, Firewalls, And Anti-Spyware!

Amazing Software Keeps Things FAST - And Stays Out Of The Way!

Super Smart AV Only Does Scans When YOU'RE Not Working!

Outstanding New Firewall Locks Your Computer Down When You're Away!

Hourly Updates! Unlimited Tech Support! Install On Up To 3 PCs!

Current Version, But Don't Pay $50! Get Our Best Price EVER! 

http://imgsrv.worldstart.com/prodimages/wow.gif Your Price? Just $9.97!! http://imgsrv.worldstart.com/prodimages/wow.gif

WOW! I can't wait to share this one with ya! We just scored an amazing deal on my new favorite software - Iolo System Shield! Let me tell ya, this is NOT your run-of-the-mill Internet Security Suite! This does an amazing job of keeping your computer safe from hackers, spyware, and viruses - but read on, because the way this is implemented is far superior to ANY software like this I've used in the past! This really isn't your typical security suite - and you're gonna love it!  I am personally running this software on my computer and it's by far the best I've used! I can't tell you how impressed I am with this - if you value your safety - and system performance, you've got to check this out!

OK, first off, I know you're probably already running anti-virus, anti-spyware, and a firewall - so why do you want this? Well, the thing that impresses me the most with this software suite is the absolute speed it brings to the table! Not just in scanning and such, but the very real lack of system hogging it does. Most suites like this are horrible - they really slow your system to a crawl - not this one! I uninstalled all my previous security software and tired this instead - WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! Frankly, there's a good chance that if you're currently using Norton, Mcafee, ect, when you replace them with this you're going to think you got a new computer! The difference is THAT dramatic! This speed-up alone is enough reason to switch if you ask me!

Next, I absolutely LOVE how this just runs in the background and stays out of the way. So many security programs love to tell you that they are updating your system, getting new virus definitions, scanning, whatever. It's an all day long affair of acknowledging boxes and virtually patting your software on the back, "Good boy - I'm glad you downloaded some updates!" Well, those annoyances are GONE with this - it just works in the background and updates itself when necessary without dozens of boxes telling you all about it - that alone was enough to make me switch! Of course, if it finds something serious, it'll let you know (all customizable too).

Oh, and let me tell you about the anti-virus - you're gonna love this! First, yes it keeps you safe from e-mail viruses, downloads, and monitors in the background - just like everyone's AV does. However, it's the little things that make you fall in love with this! First, don't you just HATE it when you're working on your computer and the stupid AV software comes up and starts a scan? Slows everything down - what a pain! This software will actually make sure the PC has been idle for a specified amount of time before it scans! It waits till you're away before it starts - is that cool or what??? Oh, and it pauses the scan if the PC starts getting used again! Again, this reason alone is enough to change! In fact, my wife read that and said, "Hey - I want this on my computer! My AV always starts scanning when I'm working!" So, one of my 3 installs is going there!

In addition, the anti-virus can be set to scan all files or just dangerous ones (saving time), can be set to scan all kinds of files, has HOURLY updates, can be set to scan when YOU want, and can even be set to exclude certain types of files if you want! Even scan incoming AND outgoing messages if you want - all fully customizable! Oh, and did I mention that it has a year of UNLIMITED tech support too in case you have trouble? WOW!!

Think that's great? Wait till you see the firewall! Blows Windows firewall away (along with every other firewall as far as I'm concerned)! First off, yes, it keeps hackers out - all firewalls do. But this also protects you in other ways. It can monitor when a program is trying to access the internet and send all your personal info to the mothership. That, to me, is HUGE! You never know if that program you just installed is completely trustworthy - so this keeps you safe!

Another fantastic idea that I'm really excited about is the "Idle Lock" - Get this - you can set it so that if you're not using the computer for a specified amount of time (set by you) that the network locks down - nothing can come in or out! I've always said the most secure internet connection is the one that's unplugged when not in use - and this does that!! Oh, and you can also lock your computer down with the press of a mouse if you like - right from the main page!

This can also show you how many attacks it has blocked, block the attacker's IP address for a specified (by you) amount of time, and has a lot of fully customizable options. Truth is though, that the default settings work fine for me! Oh, and again, this seems like it doesn't slow anything down at all - in fact, if you're using a different firewall, this will probably speed things up! I know one thing for sure, I'm installing this on my laptop for travel - it's just too dangerous to surf using wireless networks without it!

Finally, this also includes a fantastic anti-spyware program! Just like the rest of it, it's really fast, stays out of the way, and just does the job! It automatically updates and scanning is a breeze - and fast too! I don't think I've ever seen a spyware can that was soooo fast - and it did a great job! Found a few minor things that it easily fixed!

OK, that's the main stuff, but I also wanted to mention how much easier to use this is than most other security software. First off, I think 90% of the users out there can just install it and forget it - the default settings are really a nice balance and should work well for just about every computer out there. If you want to change stuff, it's really easy to do and the program has an excellent help file that, quite frankly, most users will never ever need!

The price? You're not going to believe this one - we're talking just $9.97 and US shipping is FREE! This is the current version and retails for $49.95 (check Iolo's site - it's not cheap), so $9.97 is an amazing deal. 1 Year worth of support and updates too! Oh, works on XP, Vista, & Win 2000!

Oh, and get this - it's a 3 user license!! So you can install this on up to 3 different computers! That's way less than $4.00 per computer! Grab a friend or two and have them chip in! For less than $4.00 per computer, you just can't go wrong! It's amazing and it's what I am going to be running from now on!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=4583

PS - Seriously, this is simply the best Anti-virus, Anti-Spyware, and Firewall software I've ever used and it's going to be on my machine from now on. My computer is soooo much faster now after getting rid of the other bloated software package I had been using - and this just has soooo many great options! Don't miss out!

~Steve

Computers 101

Q: I recently upgraded the RAM in my Vista machine and I lost some drive space. What gives?

A:If you've upgraded your Windows Vista computer's memory (RAM) after you installed the memory, you may be wondering why you suddenly lost some drive space. In Windows XP, when you added more memory to your computer, you had to manually go and increase the size of your paging file to correctly match the amount of memory in your computer. Windows Vista does away with this by automatically setting the optimal size for the paging file, even after you add more memory to your computer.

What is a paging file anyways?
A paging file is a hidden files or files on your hard disk that Windows uses to hold parts of programs and data that do not fit in memory. Both the Paging File and physical memory (RAM), comprise Virtual Memory. Windows moves data from the paging file to memory as needed and moves data from memory to the paging file to make room for new data. This is also know as a swap file.

To continue:, if you had a computer with 1GB of memory, your paging file would be roughly 1300mb, but if you add another 1GB of memory to your computer to make a total of 2GB, now when you look at the paging file, it will have automatically increased:

You can turn this setting on and off by right-clicking the Computer icon, clicking the Advanced System Settings link, then clicking the Settings button under Performance:


Click the Advanced tab, and you should see the current size of the paging file as in the first screenshot. Click the Change button, and you'll finally see the checkbox to "Automatically manage paging file size for all drives"

~Ramachandran Kumaraswami

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MS Office

Always Paste Text This Way

When you paste text into a Word document you may be quite used to seeing the Clipboard icon pop up where you could choose how the text should be formatted…

This was something in Word that, while very helpful, could become quite annoying should you have to repeat this step too often.

For those of you who have felt that frustration and are currently working with Word 2007 then I have some good news for you.

In Word 07 the Clipboard icon offers yet another choice:

At the very bottom you'll find Set Default Paste…

If you choose this you'll be taken to the Advanced tab, Copy and Paste section of your Word Options. (This can also be accessed via the Office Button.)

Here's where you'll find that you do have some say in how the pasted text is formatted from the beginning.

You'll notice that the default behavior can be set for 4 different situations:

  1. Pasting within the same document.
  2. Pasting between documents.
  3. Pasting between documents when style definitions conflict.
  4. Pasting from other programs.

Set your preferences and click OK.

Setting these preferences doesn't remove the Clipboard icon and its choices, so these changes won't guarantee that you'll never have to use the Clipboard icon... it certainly should help cut down on the amount of time you spend using it.

~ April

Did you like this tip? Did you not? Tell us by rating or adding to it here:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/word-clipboard-preferences

 

More Cool Stuff

 

Awesome Wireless Network Adapter!

Go Wireless In Seconds!

WOW - If you use any kind of wireless network (at home or on the road), this is something you've just gotta grab! 

We have an awesome USB Wireless LAN Mini Adapter for you today and it's about the coolest wireless accessory I've ever seen! This takes plug and play to a new level - you plug this little device into your computer (desktop or laptop) and in a matter of seconds you have a wireless network adapter installed and ready to use! Talk about making easy to get on a wireless network, huh? And look how small it is! This is the way to go - especially if you travel with your laptop!

If you have a wireless network you want to jump onto at home, at a friend's house, at a hotel, or at a favorite resturant, this makes getting connected almost too easy. Oh, and if you're on the road and long for an easy to use wireless solution, this is a no-brainer. Look at these features:

Receives power from the USB port  no additional power plug or cable required
Compatible with USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 hardware
Backwards compatible with 802.11b equipment
Delivers robust 802.11g wireless networking
Supports data rates of up to 54 Mbps
Automatic fallback increases data security and reliability

I purchased a wireless card for my laptop last year and it set me back $100! Plus, it was a pain in the digital rear to install the thing. What a headache! If you have an older laptop at home and haven't wanted to invest in a wireless card or hassle with hooking it up, this is definitely the way to go!!!

Well, this is super easy to install and your cost is just $16.97! With FREE US shipping and our 60 day money back guarantee, you just can't go wrong. OK, you can go wrong - if you wait too long! We only have a limited quantity of these available. Check it out:

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=3778

The price will increase to $24.97 VERY SOON and Without Notice!


You've Never Seen Desktop Publishing Software Like This!

Don't Pay $700 For Adobe's InDesign!

Try This For Just $9.97!!!

Try It, You'll Be Shocked At What You Snagged For Less Than $10!

Professional Level Desktop Publishing Made Affordable!

Incredible Power At Your Fingertips!

I'm so excited! We've never offered anything quite like this one before! We have Page Designer Pro and it's some really amazing, professional-level desktop publishing software that's gonna absolutely blow you away! This makes PrintShop look like a toy! Check this out:

First off, this is a LOT like Adobe InDesign, just an amazing $690 LESS than what Adobe gets for their version! It's meant for - and does - pretty much the same thing - pro level design and print. You can literally create ANYTHING you can imagine with this software. This is truly a high-end desktop publishing solution and the power it brings is amazing. Talk about blown-away by what you can do with a computer and printer!!

Page Designer Pro

The first thing you'll notice when you start it up is your choice between a really handy wizard interface or the option to start a project from scratch. When you first start playing with it, just go ahead and take a look at what those wizards can do for you (over 2000 designs)! You'll be amazed at just how quickly you can create ads, brochures, business stationery, calendars, cards, letterheads, invoices, flyers, forms, newsletters, notices, handouts, event programs, posters, banners, price lists, reports, announcements, invitations, greeting cards and TONS more!

What that brings to the table with the amazing "wizards" is easily enough to justify this fantastic program, but that's only the beginning! After you're done checking out the wizards, go ahead and start a project from scratch - you're gonna be absolutely floored at how quickly you can produce professional level projects! This is the kind of software they use in professional print shops! Once you start messing around with it, you'll discover very soon you start to feel like a professional graphics artist!

As for features, this thing is the 800LB gorilla of desktop publishing! For example, just wait till you start playing with dozens and dozens of preset color schemes for your projects! Change the look and feel of your project in a mouse click! Great to use with the wizards to instantly change the look and feel of, well, ANY project!

Oh, and wait till you feast your mouse on the professional layout tools! Talk about a kid in a candy store! This has everything you need (and probably more)! We're talking intelligent text fitting (nice), kerning, hyphenation, drop caps, smart quotes, named styles, movable ruler and guides, precision placements, rotation, calendar tools, tables, brush / pencils, gradients, fills, shapes, all kind of text, frames and TONS more! I could fill the length of this review with JUST the tools at your disposal!

Page Designer Pro

PLUS, you've absolutly got to check out the Text Composition Tools - you'll love these things! Get this - you have all the following at your beck and call: Word count, spell checker, search & replace, a thesaurus, AutoCorrect, AutoSpell, over 300 new fonts, and - get this - a proofreader! That's right - you can have the program actually "read" your text and it can make suggestions for improvements! Now THAT'S cool!

Another feature you'll really love is the amazing "Text On A Path" tool! Here's how it works - You create a "path" using your mouse in any shape you want - a squiggly line, a square, a letter - whatever you can dream up. Then, double-click and start typing - your text will actually follow along the path you created, twisting and turning all along the way! Soooo cool!

You've gotta try the QuickShapes too! These aren't just the lousy shapes you drop into Word or something. These are basically intelligent clipart! Choose a shape, drag & drop it on your document, then adjust each angle and dimension using the little handles! Oh, and you can fill the shapes, do different "styles" , put in a gradient, add a photo, and MORE! The options are fantastic!

Oh, but the drawing fun isn't just limited to the QuickShapes! This has an amazing arsenal of drawing tools that you have to see to believe! You can sketch freehand, apply some really cool styles, make custom shapes, and create all kinds of eye-popping graphics in minutes! You could literally design your own clipart!

What if you have a photo you want to drop in? Yup, not only can you add any photo, you can even enhance it right in the program so it looks amazing in just a few mouse clicks! Once it's in the program, there's dozens and dozens of ways you can use it!

Page Designer Pro

Hey, have you ever needed to place a photo in with a bunch of text and couldn't get the text to "flow" right around it? Sometimes the text runs though your photos, sometimes the text gets blocked out, pushed around, or just ends up looking wrong. Well, this lets you easily reshape, rotate, and adjust your text frames to make your next project look like a magazine spread!

Heck, did I mention this can even create a website for you? Imagine the power above put into a web design program! It has all the tools you need to quickly and easily create professional looking webpages! Add text, graphics, animated gif, music, java - it can do it!

As if all that wasn't enough, this can also do mail merges, has some really cool transparency effects (so you can "see through" objects that are on top of other objects), mind-blowing versatility in printing, allows for outstanding PDF output, and even includes a PANTONE library if you're outputting your work for press publication! Told ya it was loaded!

BONUS!!! BONUS!!! Can you believe this? It also includes a second CD with a whoppin' 100,000 graphics crammed onto it! Clip art, photos, it's all there and at your fingertips! This alone is worth the price of the software! With 100,000 images to choose from, you'll always be able to find the exact graphic you need for your projects!

Your cost for all this? Just $9.97 and US shipping is FREE! After using this for just a little bit, I can't believe we got these for this kind of price! Our supplier must be nuts!

It's really the best $9.97 you'll ever spend on desktop publishing! Honestly, if we were selling it for the $40 retail, it would STILL be well worth the price!  This is truly a professional level program that looks and works an awful lot like Adobe's $700 InDesign! If you want to do some serious desktop publishing, there's never been a cheaper way to get serious about it! $9.97!! Once you start using it, you'll agree that it's crazy for anyone to pass this by! You're not gonna believe what you get for less than $10!

You've gotta give this a try because for this kind of money you just can't afford to pass it by!!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=4770

PS - Bad news? Only a limited quantity of these are available, so you need to get to the site ASAP to grab your copy! You'll be completely blown away at how you can get software this powerful for $9.97!!!

Today at WorldStart.com

Escape, Escape!

Ever get hung up on a web page? The darned thing just won't load, but you're tired of waiting, right? Swing on by the Worldstart site today and learn the ways that the Esc key can help get you out of this Internet traffic jam!

Radio...

Live transmission! Search for all your favorite stations, local Internet and worldwide, then listen away! There's even an option to scan for unused frequencies in your area! Transmit yourself over to the WS site today and have a listen!

Here's the link you need: http://www.worldstart.com/ Enjoy!

Tip of the Day

Clear your Internet History

We all want privacy—especially when using the internet. Not that you're visiting questionable sites, but who wants snoopy co-workers or nosey family members tracing your steps through cyberspace? With the click of a toolbar button (or Ctrl+H) your browsing history will be on display for all to see. Want to avoid this? Whether you use Internet Explorer or Firefox, here's what you can do...

To clear out the History with Internet Explorer, hit the Tools/Internet Options. On the General tab, you'll see a Browsing History area. Click the "Clear History" button and you're all set. In some versions of IE it might say "Delete" instead. There is also an option to "Delete Browsing History on Exit", which comes in handy, too.

Also, if you click the "Settings" button in this area you can set your history limit. You can use it to set how many days something stays in History from 0 to 99. By selecting 1 it will delete your History every day so if you forget to clear, you're tracks are covered.

For Firefox users simply go to go to Tools>Clear Private Data. A box will pop up, giving you options on what types of data you'd like to delete.

You can also go to Tools>Options and under the Privacy Tab you'll see an option for how long to keep your history. You can use it to set how many days something stays in History. By typing in 1 it will delete your History every day so if you forget to clear, you're tracks are covered. Like Internet Explorer, there is also and option to delete history upon exit if you desire.


But History isn't the only place where you're vulnerable. As you surf the web, every page, every graphic, cookie, etc. is saved in your temporary internet files. Why is this? Well, for one, if you visit a page often it brings up the files from the cache rather than getting them online, thus making the page appear quicker. Someone could go to this folder and view the cached pages if they knew how. The good news is that you can dump them with Disk Cleanup.

Here's a tip on Disk Cleanup for Windows XP:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/1848

..and one for Vista, too!:
http://www.worldstart.com/tips/tips.php/4344

There are also software programs that will empty your temp files automatically and monitor your cookies, only allowing in those that you specify.

In addition, clearing out your Temporary Internet files frees up space and increases security.

Here's to stealthy surfing!

~Andrew

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Today's Feature

VLC Player

I get a lot of e-mails every week about how to open files. I know that there are a lot of file extensions out there and it can be difficult to find the right program to open them all. Well, today I have a program that will help tremendously, at least in the media department.

The program is called VLC player and it opens almost any video file you can throw at it! I found this compatibility list on their website:

vlc compatibility chart

Wow, Right? How many times has someone sent you a .avi file; you try to open it in Media Player and all you get is an error about a codec? This awesome little program will take care of all of that forever. On top of being able to open just about anything, VLC also has other features that make is a worthwhile addition to your computer's arsenal of programs. It even has the ability to encode and stream video across the Internet for others to view.

If you are interested in checking out all the features of VLC, you can visit their website at http://www.videolan.org/. If you want to skip the details and just get the program click here.

~Gary

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Amanda's Coolsite

Cost of Living Wizard

From time to time, I find a really great calculator that I just have to share. The Cost of Living Wizard is one such calculator. What’s better than being cool? Well, being easy to use of course!
All you need to know is your total income for the year, the state and city you live in, and the state and city you work in. As well as a state/city to compare the cost of living to!
I wanted to know how much the Cost of Living was in Toledo compared to my hometown of Lorain. I put in my salary, chose my state and city for the first two fields, and then chose Ohio, Lorain, for the last two fields. Then click Calculate.

The Wizard calculates, and tells me that employers pay -1.0 less in Lorain, and that cost of living there is +5.7 higher in Lorain. The cost of living being higher surprised me since I live in a bigger city.
You can also find out if employers in your new town will pay you as much to do your job. Underneath the calculations are two more fields find out if you’re worth your salary in the new city, as well as how much people get paid to do your job there.
This is a handy tool if you’re planning to move to a new job market, or just move to a new state – let’s you know how expensive it will be to live there. It tells you the minimum that you’d need to make to continue your current living costs.

Very, very useful!

http://swz.salary.com/CostOfLivingWizard/layoutscripts/coll_start.asp

~ Amanda

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Send it to Amanda at
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Monthly Wallpaper

 

New Special!

4GB Flash Drive Promotion!

WARNING!! - Dirt Cheap Price Can Change At ANY Time!!

Run To The Site For Our Lowest Price Ever On A 4GB Flash Drive

All I can say is WOW! Did we score a deal for you! One of our suppliers gave us an absolutely mind-blowing deal on some 4GB PQI Flash Drives! We've had some fantastic deals on flash drives in the past, but this has got to be the best ever! We're talking a whoppin' 4 GB worth of storage for just $12.97!! These have a retail of $40 - and most big chain stores sell them for that kind of money all day long! 

But there is a catch -

The promotion is only for a limited time - and we don't know when it will end! Could be this morning, could be next week. Once our cost goes up, your cost will go up! It's something new they're trying, so we decided to play along! My advice? If you want an amazing, $40 4GB flash drive for $12.97, I'd high-tail it on over to the site as soon as you read this!! Get your orders in at $12.97 while you can!!

We all know flash drives are probably the best invention since the internet, but when you think about you can store on these 4GB drives, it's really somethin'! Think about this - these can hold the same amount of data as not 1, not 3, but 6 - count 'em 6 - CD-ROMS! Heck, we're talking enough storage for 600 12MP images from your digital camera, 1000 MP3s, or 80,000 typical office documents! That's a lot of data!!

PLUS it's small and easy to take along - this thing isn't even as long as your index finger! Oh, and get this - if you buy several (and at this price you probably should), you can actually stack & snap them together! The little hole is also ideal for hooking onto a keychain - a great way to keep your important data with you all the time!

I don't know about you, but I can't live without my flash drives! I've used them for the typical "taking documents to the office" routine, but there's a TON of other uses too! Stick MP3s on 'em and listen to your favorite songs at work. Oh, and have you seen some of the newer car radios? They have USB plugs on 'em so you can take a flash drives loaded with MP3s and play it right in your car! Oh, and this is a really great way to take photos over to show off to family and friends! Just drag & drop your photos to it and plug it into any computer! Seems like I come up with new uses for these things all the time - you gotta grab 'em when the price is low like this - you know you're gonna need one soon!

OH, almost forgot - these are USB 2.0 drives so yeah, they're wicked fast! No sitting around staring at progress bars while you copy! 

Again, these are just $12.97 and US Shipping is FREE! For that kind of money, better grab a couple! Please note - this was a special promotion from one of our suppliers and the price on these will increase the second they decide to end the promo! Grab yours ASAP - before the price goes back up!

Oh, and you even get to choose the color!

Red:
http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=4962

Blue:
http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=4963

Silver:
http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=4964

PS - $12.97 is our best price ever on 4GB flash drives of any kind - and these are some of the best quality available! Don't miss out, as soon as our supplier raises our price, we're rasing the price (and that could even be sometime today)!

Monthly Wallpaper

April Wallpaper

Here's this month's free calendar wallpaper! As always, it's 100% free, so head on over and grab one!

Pink Flower

This was actually in my front of my house! It had rained the night before, and this pink flower (lily?) was looking especially pink.

Mossy Stream

This just has to make you think "Spring"! Taken last April in the Smokys - and man that water was cold!

Valley Of Fire Road

Just about an hour's drive from Las Vegas is this amazing place! It really does look like that when you round the top of the hill! You think you're on another planet (and may sci-fi movies were shot there, including Star Trek Generations)

Here's April's wallpaper. It's all free, so enjoy!

All can be found here:

http://www.worldstart.com/wallpaper/index.php

Enjoy!

 

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Copyright, Disclaimer, and Removal

ISSN: 1529-336X
Copyright 2005, WorldStart. All unauthorized reproduction strictly prohibited.

You are welcome to reproduce this newsletter (i.e. print it, store it) for your own personal use. You are also welcome to forward it, in its entirety, to friends and family.

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Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation (duh!)


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Personal & Educational Use Only This blog consists mainly of FREE newsletters from computer web gurus that I receive. I thought you might like to see them all in one place than try to discover them on your own. A moderate amount of editing may be done to eliminate unrelated repetitious ads or unnecessary text which bloat the post. However I have given the authors full credit and will not remove their site links because you deserve to see where it comes from and they deserve to get credit for what they have written. Your use of this site is simply for educational purposes. For more computer-related help go to: CPEDLEY.COM for free software, advice and tips on low cost products which are very helpful. If you want to contact the editor, please go CPEDLEY.COM and check the Contact page for email address.