Computer Tips From A Computer Guy

Posted: 31 Dec 2010 04:56 AM PST

Admittedly, many of us check Facebook and Twitter from our smartphones before we even roll out of bed in the morning. The less tech-savvy citizens of the world mock us for this habit, and label our phones crack-berries and i-addictions.

Rooster.am is a new way to feed our social media morning habits. The service acts as a traditional wake up call, but instead of just bidding us good morning, it can tell us the latest Facebook events and Twitter trends, as well as the news, weather and important items on our Google calendars.

To set a wake up call, click the yellow Set an Alarm button on the bottom right of the homepage.

On the next screen, click the Sign Up button on the right. To use the service, you must provide your email address, a password, time zone and phone number. After entering this information, click Register.

You be prompted to log in—if so, use the email and password you just provided. Once logged in, you should see a big yellow button prompting you to Create New Alarm. Click it.

Wake up alarms are completely customizable. By default, the alarm starts with a greeting and the current time.

Start your alarm by choosing which days of the week it should be sent, and at what time.

Next, choose the notifications you want to receive in your message by dragging options from the right menu to the left menu. You can rearrange the order on the left menu by dragging and dropping items up or down.

If an item appears in grey, that means you have not yet granted Rooster.am access to the service. Click the Authorize Websites link below the right menu to authorize these services.

As you add items to the message menu, the preview in the middle of the screen changes to show what your message would read if it was sent right now.

When we are satisfied, click Set Alarm. Your wake up call is then set to send at the specified time until you log in to Rooster.am and tell it otherwise.

We have used Rooster.am for several days. So far, the service works like clockwork, exactly on time with its wakeup call. The voice reading the message is clear and easy to understand. If looking for a new way to wake up, the service is definitely worth a look.

Copyright © 2007
Online Tech Tips.
Aseem Kishore (digitalfingerprint: a59a56dce36427d83e23b501579944fcakmk1980 (74.125.94.83) )

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Wake Up to Facebook and Twitter Trends

The Three Most Underused Applications that Ship with Windows 7

Posted: 31 Dec 2010 03:31 AM PST

The applications that ship with Windows 7 are not usually considered real solutions. Many users of the operating system think of them as watered down software that can’t be used to get any work real done.

Even though they are free, WordPad, Sticky Notes, and Calculator are three great utilities that have a place in your daily work routine. Learn about how these three underused applications can help you get more done in Windows 7.

Microsoft WordPad

Shipping with all versions of Windows 7, WordPad has actually been a part of the Windows operating system lineup for many versions. Updated with a Ribbon interface much like Word and the other Office 2007/2010 applications, WordPad actually offers a few features – or lack of features – that make it an excellent word processing companion.

Although WordPad does not come close to having the features found in its big brother Word, WordPad is a simple-to-use and hassle-free way to create documents. Most users of Word admit that they sometimes get bogged down in the seemingly endless number of features the word processor offers.

The truth is that WordPad contains about 90% of the features you often use in Word. Instead of using a complicated application, why not use a simple yet stable alternative?

Sticky Notes

For years, people have been populating the edges of their computer monitors with sticky notes (Post-it is a brand name owned by 3M Corporation). Microsoft heard the call and added the Sticky Notes application to Windows 7.

The best feature of Sticky Notes is that you can simply click the plus symbol and add as many notes as you want to your desktop. Keep track of meetings, grocery lists, reminders, and you can even use Sticky Notes to jot down a quick note while on the phone. You no longer have to struggle with the phone in one hand while looking for a pen and paper with the other.

Calculator

The Calculator got a major overhaul in Windows 7 to include a host of new features. As usual, the familiar features are there such as Standard and Scientific view. New are the Programmer and Statistics modes added in Windows Vista.

Also new are unit conversions. With that feature, you can convert measurement units to other units such as cubic feet to cubic centimeters and gallons to liters. You can use the Data Calculation feature to compute the number of days between two dates.

Finally, you can use Worksheets to calculate Mortgage Payments, Vehicle Lease costs, and Fuel Economy. Before you reach for the calculator in your desk drawer, see what Windows 7’s onscreen Calculator can do for you.

Just because something is free doesn’t mean it’s no good. The accessories applications that ship with Windows 7 are more powerful than you think. In fact, most of them are overlooked in favor of costly, more complicated alternatives.

WordPad, Sticky Notes, and Calculator are three of the more underused applications that ship with Microsoft’s latest operating system. Check them out and see if you can get more done for free.