With more memory, a computer gets a new lease on life
Very soon after I bought my iMac in September 2007, I upgraded its memory from 2 to 4 gigabytes. I didn’t do this at the time for performance reasons – I was actually quite happy with my new Mac’s...
View ArticleLinkpost | 06.21.2011
[Note: Dwight Silverman is on vacation, and Technology Bytes’ Peter Hughes is handling the linkposts this week. Dwight will be back on June 26.] • Five Predictions For The Future Of Energy – Here’s...
View ArticleLinkpost | 06.26.2011
[Note: Dwight Silverman is on vacation, and Technology Bytes’ Peter Hughes is handling the linkposts this week. Dwight will be back on June 27.] • Samsung Phone’s Mammoth Screen Is Made for Multimedia...
View Article5 ways to make Lion less annoying
After spending a couple of days with Lion, the latest version of Mac OS X, I’ve gone through several phases. First, I was excited just to be poking around in a new operating system. Then, I was...
View ArticleWant to really Repair Permissions on your Mac? Try this.
Did you know that, in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, there’s a second, hidden version of the Repair Permissions feature that may be more effective at solving some problems than the better-known one? It saved my...
View ArticleA Solid State Drive is a sweet computer upgrade. Too bad it’s so expensive....
Every geek knows that the best computer upgrade you can make is to add more memory. It’s relatively inexpensive and, unless you’ve already got plenty of RAM, usually produces a noticeable speed...
View ArticleTime for a refresher on conserving your smartphone’s battery life [Updated]
If you’ve owned a smartphone for a while, you probably already know this: Turning off unnecessary services is one key to longer battery life. But sometimes, such as when a new version of your device’s...
View ArticleBringing Apple’s two-finger right-click to Windows
One of my favorite features on Apple’s notebooks is the set of multitouch gestures on its touchpads. I am particularly enamored of using two fingers to bring up a context or right-click menu. I’m in...
View ArticleMicrosoft adds to a glut of free iOS online storage with SkyDrive app
Microsoft on Tuesday released an app that lets iOS users access its SkyDrive online storage service. This gives owners of the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch 25 gigabytes to hold documents, files and...
View ArticleAmazon update for the Kindle Fire makes it faster, more secure
Amazon says its Kindle Fire is selling quite well, but that’s despite reviews that dinged the 7-inch tablet for its sluggish interface. Other critics have noted that the Fire is not very secure, and...
View ArticleCloud storage: An embarrassment of riches
If you’re a fan of storing critical files online so you can get to them anywhere, this has been a great week. On Tuesday, Google finally took the wraps off its fabled cloud storage product, Google...
View ArticleSuffering iOS 6 users, rejoice! Google turns on Street View for iPhone, iPad
For those users of iOS 6 – the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch – it’s been a rough few weeks. Apple nuked the much-used, Google-powered map app that’s...
View ArticleGuest post: Cutting the carrier
[Note: This is a guest post by former Chronicle colleague Sara de la Cruz. You can read her previous posts here.] “Cutting the cord,” or dropping expensive cable service and watching TV and movies...
View ArticleUh, oh! Many bandwidth meters aren’t accurate
If you’re like the majority of Americans with broadband Internet access, you’re living under a data cap. Hopefully, your provider gives you a way to measure it with some kind of meter, such as the one...
View ArticleAre you a geek in love? Do these for your darling.
When in comes to technological savvy, most relationships are lopsided. Usually, half of a couple is more adept with all things digital. Sure, there are plenty of dual-geek pairs, but my instincts and...
View ArticleYour smartphone’s battery is lame. What are you doing about it?
For many smartphone users, their device’s battery life is a constant source of pain. Whether you’ll have enough juice to make it through the day is a constant background hum of worry. In an excellent...
View ArticleIt’s alive! New drive gives dead iMac a new life
The joys of all-in-one desktop computers are that they are usually sleek, take up less space and are very simple to set up and get running. They eliminate some cords and make for a more elegant...
View Article8 ways to make peace with Windows 8
If you buy a new PC today, it’s almost certain to come with Windows 8. This newest version of Microsoft’s operating system is a hybrid, with two interfaces – one tuned for touchscreen PCs and tablets,...
View ArticleTwitter is less of a black box with free analytics
Twitter users have long been frustrated with the lack of information about what happens to the updates they post and who is following them. Now, the social network has made some analytics free to its...
View ArticleMake custom vibrations on your iPhone
Everyone knows that you can make custom ringtones for your smartphone. But if you've got an iPhone, did you know you can make custom vibrations, too?
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