Using technology for your holiday cards

October 26, 2008

Technology might have killed the art of letter writing, but it has improved another time-honored form of communication: holiday cards.

Recent columns

• 'Google phone' comes calling

  October 16, 2008

  This year's second-most anticipated cell phone, the T-Mobile G1, is significant not because it's elegant or stylish like the most anticipated phone, the iPhone 3G, but because of what's inside.

• Switching e-mail addresses doesn't have to hurt

  September 28, 2008

  In many ways, changing your e-mail address is harder than changing your mailing address. There's no post office to make sure that your mail gets forwarded and senders are notified of the switch. Plus, you have to deal with transferring contacts and old messages.

• Now is a good time for neophytes to catch up with the iPod

  September 21, 2008

  When Apple released the iPod in October 2001 it cost $399 and held just 5 GB of music, or about 1,000 songs. The new line of iPods that Apple introduced last week range in price from $49 to $399, can hold up to 120 GB of music (30,000 songs), videos and photos, play games, surf the Internet, access e-mail or download music.

• Wireless networks and their many, creative names

  September 7, 2008

  Nearly every time I pull out my iPhone or fire up my laptop, I get an interesting look into the people and businesses that surround me. How do I do this? By looking at the names of their wireless networks.

• Verizon's G'zOne Boulder cell phone is military tough

  August 31, 2008

  For all the convenience and security they offer, it doesn't take much to fry a cell phone.

• Cable customers won't need digital TV converters

  August 17, 2008

  Last week's review of digital TV converter boxes generated a slew of questions. Here are three TV-related queries.

• Comparing digital converter boxes for analog TVs

  August 10, 2008

  With a little more than six months left until the switch from analog to digital TV broadcasting, 22.7 million converter box coupons have been requested, about 1.1 million of them by Floridians.

• Use technology to clear inbox, get things done

  August 3, 2008

  I get several hundred e-mails a day, so I laughed the first time I heard the term "Inbox Zero."

• Making the right connections

  July 27, 2008

  The Internet is full of great free TV shows and movies, but viewing them on a laptop screen can be uncomfortable.

• iPhone 3G has slew of new applications

  July 20, 2008

  When Apple and AT&T released the iPhone last summer, it kicked off the era of the cell phone as a true computing platform that rivals -- and in some cases beats -- the experience of using a computer. With the just-released iPhone 3G, Apple has made its multi-touch device faster, more functional and easier to use.

• Universal remotes control the clutter

  July 13, 2008

  As enjoyable as it is to add a video-game console, speaker system or other new entertainment device to your living room, there's always one unpleasant thing you have to deal with -- a new remote control.

• Get "free" Wi-Fi at Starbucks

  July 6, 2008

  It's not totally free because you only get two hours per day and you have to have spent some money in the past 30 days to use it. But hey, it's better than nothing.

• Modern libraries aren't just books anymore

  June 28, 2008

  Everybody knows that in a down economy, one easy way to save money is to check out books, CDs and DVDs from the library instead of buying or renting them.

• Latest gadgets designed to help get the most from your cell phone

  June 21, 2008

  If you get a new cell phone every few years, there's a good chance the accessories you bought for your old phone won't work with your new one. So when possible, it's a good idea to buy ones that are compatible with a variety of phones.

• Tired of waiting for movies in the mail? Try Roku

  June 14, 2008

  The Netflix Player by Roku is the latest effort to bring Internet movies to the masses.

• Tracking unhappy customers blog by blog

  May 24, 2008

  What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words "customer service"? Probably not something suitable for a family newspaper.

• Set up a home wireless network

  May 17, 2008

  Setting up a home wireless network allows you to take a single Internet connection and broadcast it throughout your house so multiple computers, video-game consoles, cell phones and other devices can get online at the same time. You won't be confined to one room to get online and with a laptop computer you can get online while sitting on the couch or even sitting on your back porch. A wireless network also lets you share files between computers and print without physically connecting to a printer.

• Gaining control of your e-mail

  May 10, 2008

  In 2000, individual corporate users sent and received about 15 e-mails a day. Today, about 133 messages are zipping back and forth.

• Bulky GPS device offers new twist on providing directions

  May 3, 2008

  As good as today's GPS navigators are, many people only pull them out if they are lost or going somewhere new. And if you don't know the address of your destination, getting there can be tricky.

• The key to stronger computer passwords

  April 26, 2008

  Creating and remembering strong passwords -- like backing up our computers' contents -- is something many of us know we should do, but don't.

• Saving power can help the environment, and save money

  April 19, 2008

  Power management

• All wired up? it's time to learn the lingo

  April 12, 2008

  Embed

• Dump TV and still see your favorite shows

  April 5, 2008

  Now that all of the TV networks (and some cable channels) are fully embracing online video, you can keep up with many of your favorite shows -- and discover new ones -- without ever turning on the TV.

• Smart devices may be both creepy and cool

  March 29, 2008

  One product I tested this week came with an instructional video that features a talking ham. The other has this slogan: "If you can't think of any sensible reason to live with a rabbit -- think again."

• Stumped? User's Guide columnist answers questions

  March 22, 2008

  Due to volume, I can't address or respond to all the questions I get and when I do, it may take awhile. I'll also answer questions about my columns and How 2 items on my blog -- orlandosentinel.com/techblog -- on Mondays.

• 2 devices for film lovers offer reasons never to leave the couch

  March 15, 2008

  There are more ways than ever to watch a movie without leaving your couch. Cable on-demand. DVDs. Movies-by-mail services such as Netflix.

• Lighten the load with solar-powered devices instead of clunky chargers

  March 8, 2008

  Imagine a world where your cell phone or iPod never runs out of power and you can leave all your clunky chargers at home.

• Is Apple's light MacBook Air for you?

  March 1, 2008

  When I first saw the MacBook Air -- the new ultraportable laptop from Apple -- I was wowed by its razor-thin design, but skeptical about its lack of features found on some other travel laptops. There's no CD or DVD drive, no Ethernet port, no removable battery and only one USB port.

• Internet radio services help you discover new artists

  February 23, 2008

  There's not much serendipity left in music today. Commercial radio stations play the same top 40 songs over and over. iPods are great, but unless you are listening to somebody else's, you won't hear any new artists. Even satellite radio channels can be redundant.

• Will your TV go dark a year from now?

  February 16, 2008

  One year from Sunday, television as we know it will change. Stations will stop broadcasting in analog, and millions of people who rely on an antenna to receive programming for free over the air will not be able to do so anymore.

• So long, old VHS tapes

  February 9, 2008

  New device allows you to store an entire videotape collection on a single external drive or transfer programs from your DVR.

• Lightweight Eee PC is a laptop to ease the load for travelers

  February 2, 2008

  Like many frequent travelers, I like to take a computer when I'm on the road, but I hate having to lug around a bulky laptop. Unfortunately, most products out there (including Apple's new MacBook Air, which I plan to review) cost too much for my budget.

• Lightweight laptop eases the load

  February 2, 2008

  Like many frequent travelers, I like to take a computer when I'm on the road, but I hate having to lug around a bulky laptop. Unfortunately, most products out there (including Apple's new MacBook Air, which I plan to review) cost too much for my budget.

• Homegrown sites find niche online

  January 26, 2008

  I often get phone calls and e-mails from people who want me to write about a new Web site or online application they've created. But if I wrote about every new Web site, I wouldn't have time to do anything else. Plus, some of these sites are not quite ready for prime time.

• Staying in touch

  January 19, 2008

  Last year, Apple's iPhone dazzled consumers with its touch-screen interface. But it is not the only touch-screen phone out there. This week I tested three others: Verizon's Voyager by LG, Sprint's Touch by HTC, and the AT&T Tilt by HTC.

• Best in show: Consumer Electronics Show

  January 12, 2008

  Before I delve into what I saw at the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show, I wanted to address some advice I gave in last week's column about cleaning out your computer, which may have been confusing.

• Celebrate by making technology simple

  January 5, 2008

  It's a new year and that means it's time to make some technology resolutions. Here are five resolutions that you may not have thought of that will make living with technology easier. I'll offer five more in an upcoming column.

• The 'Kindle' stacks up very nicely, thank you

  December 8, 2007

  In the six months I've been writing a personal-technology column, only two devices I've brought into the office have caused colleagues to crowd around my desk in excitement: the iPhone and the product I reviewed this week, the Kindle, an electronic book reader from Amazon.com

• Tech-savvy seniors from The Villages teach kid a few new tricks

  September 15, 2007

  It's easy for people in their 20s, like me, to think they know more than their grandparents about technology.

• Videoconferencing moves into the home

  September 1, 2007

  Videconferencing has moved beyond the boardroom and into the family room.

• These gadgets can help make any motor trip more enjoyable without breaking the budget

  August 25, 2007

  Labor Day is coming up and that means millions of people will be embarking on road trips.

• The iPhone seduces us with its bells, whistles . . . and ease of use

  August 18, 2007

  When I first got the device, family, friends and colleagues clamored to give it a try. One co-worker looked up briefly while playing with it to tell me, "I want to marry it. I want to divorce my husband and marry it." There's no denying Apple's claim that the iPhone is a "revolutionary device."

• Cool school tools

  August 11, 2007

  When I set off for college seven years ago, I thought I was cool because my desktop computer had a CD burner and a DVD player.

• Tablets are dandy, but not for all

  August 4, 2007

  Tablet PCs have always been something of a mystery to me. Until a few weeks ago, I'd never known anyone who used one, and I'd never tried one myself.

• I'm never out of touch . . .

  July 28, 2007

  I'm back from vacation, and boy are my fingers tired.

• Online finance help

  July 14, 2007

  Most days, I never use cash. I use my debit card for everything and throw away the receipts. If I want to tally up the damage, I go to my bank's Web page to review my transactions.

• Free Office alternative? Sweet

  July 7, 2007

  Chances are you've used Microsoft Office. Most of the world does.