Google Emoticons

Sign in to your Gmail account. If you don’t have a Gmail account yet setting this up is easy and your contacts can be moved over in a straightforward manner. Once you are in your Gmail account just select Settings from the options in the upper right corner. In the setting's box you will see options for Chat, and you need to select this option. This takes you to the Chat controls box. Second from the bottom you will see Emoticons. There are two buttons. One button says

“Emoticons on- When an emoticon is sent it will automatically animate”

or

“Emoticons off”

Choose Emoticons on. Save your changes by selecting the Save Changes button. Once everything is saved then back out to the Gmail main page.

Find a friend who is available to chat with, and who won’t mind being a test subject. Once you are in chat with this person send them a simple emoticon like or and hit enter. Give it a few seconds to appear on your friend’s screen. On your side once you hit enter you should see the Emoticon become a ‘real’ one and appear as animated.

You can find more emoticons by using Gmail. Go to Google.com and look at the What’s New Page. Scroll down to the “Emoticons-they’re not just for chat anymore” and choose learn more. Here you will find the Add to Toolbar option button. Select this and it will add a new toolbar when you sign in to your Gmail account. Using this option you only have to click on the Emoticon button of the tool bar to add emoticons. It will bring up a box from which you can make your choice of which emoticon to use. You will need to be in rich formatting mode to see the emoticon button on the toolbar.

Using emoticons in chat comes in handy when you are in a big hurry or when you are in a very causal mood. If you can’t speak face to face then communication can be a little stilted, but these fun faces with their animated antics can give you the same experience as a face to face conversation. You can communicate faster and show a sense of humor with the emoticons. They also add a splash of color to your chat.

Photo Credits: Todd Huffman

Originally posted 2010-06-01 03:51:19.

You've got mail!

Gmail

Google is probably best known for their search engine, but they’re also one of the leading email providers. Gmail is a free email service from Google that has had an ever increasing user base. Gmail is very fast, it’s praised for loading and reloading quickly when you’re expecting new mail. In addition to its speed, Gmail is very resistant to spam. It may not be able to completely remove spam from being sent to you, but it’s all sent to a special spam folder requiring no action from you, the user. This is very handy in saving you the time and hassle of marking email as spam. Finally, Gmail offers a near unlimited amount of storage compared to other email options.

Yahoo! Mail

Google’s rival in the search engine business, Yahoo! also has decided to venture into the email business. Yahoo! may not be the only provider to offer an unlimited amount of email storage, but they were the first, showing signs that Yahoo! is genuinely looking for ways to please its user base. Yahoo! Mail is very easy for traditional email clients to get use to, as its interface is more reminiscent of old email clients such as AOL. Yahoo has also included a search function with their email that can even search attachments to find your desired output, making it extremely powerful. Being free, this is one of the best options you have at your disposal.

Hotmail

While hotmail may not be the most efficient or powerful email provider, it has certain gathered popularity among its users, being the second largest email provider behind Yahoo! Mail. While Hotmail has lagged behind Gmail and Yahoo! Mail in features, Microsoft has shown signs of wanting to improve their email service by adding more storage and communication options. Hotmail is an extremely secure email client, though it’s not as great as Yahoo! or Gmail at sorting out spam.

All of email providers allow you to create accounts for free and to use them as long as you’d like. So what are you waiting for? Try all three of them and surely you will find the email client that is right for you.

Photo Credits: Mzelle Biscotte

Originally posted 2009-11-19 03:58:23.

Quad Bootup.

Windows

Most likely you’re reading this article on a Windows computer, why do I say this? Simple, because Windows XP/Vista are the most used OS’s on the market currently, ahead of OSX and Linux. Since Windows comprises more than 80% of computers in the world, this means that it has the most widely available support and software available. It also means that because of its wide spread use and more unsecure build, that it’s most prone to spyware and viruses. Windows is by far the greatest choice for gaming, as most games are developed natively for windows and windows systems being generally less expensive.

Mac OSX

If you’ve been paying attention to your TV lately it’s very likely that you’ve at least seen one Mac Vs PC commercial. Apple’s OS has been gaining strength over the years and for good reason too. Mac OSX is much more secure to Windows because it’s a UNIX based operating system. These means that there virtually no spyware and virus applications currently affected Mac OSX systems. OSX is also much friendly for the casual user, as it’s designed for less technically users and is generally seen as much more fun experience. A downside to OSX is that you must ‘legally’ buy a Mac machine to run it. You can’t buy an OSX computer from a third-party vender such as Dell. This means that Apple’s computers tend to much more expensive than Windows set-ups.

Linux

Linux? What’s a Linux? You might think that Linux is some new operating system just because you’ve never heard of it, but the first iteration of Linux was actually released in the 1970’s. Why hasn’t Linux caught on? Many of the pros of Linux can also be considered a con is the easiest way to explain its popularity. Linux is the most technical of the three main OS’s. Literally anything and everything in Linux can be changed to match your desired wants; you just have to figure out how to do it. It’s not for casual users; however, as many casual users have a hard time figuring out how to even install Linux on their system. Something great about Linux is that it’s highly compatible and runs on just about any hardware. It’s also even more secure than OSX, which is very impressive considering that safety is one of Apple’s strongest selling points.

Which OS is right for you? Well that question is impossible to answer without knowing what kind of user you are and what you’re looking for. Chances are, Windows is fine for most people that are reading this article. It’s never a bad idea to consider using Mac OSX or Linux, however.

Photo Credits: foskarulla

Originally posted 2009-11-30 03:13:29.

Mozilla Firefox

With the newly released Google Chrome internet browser there are many available options for you to surf your favorite websites, but are there any differences between the browsers? There obviously is, due to the shifting popularity between the new browsers as different features are added, but which one is for you? This article will provide a list of the different internet browsers and why you should use them.

Mozilla Firefox

Perhaps the hottest browser on the internet right now, Firefox has taken the net by storm soaring up the usage charts for internet browsers. Currently located at the number two spot behind internet explorer, Firefox is a clean and easy experience for new users coming from internet explorer. It has a much cleaner interface and will import any settings and favorites that you had configured with internet explorer. It’s completely free and is also open source meaning that it has a modding community that make their own improvements for the browser that anyone can use.

Internet Explorer

The most popular and classic browser on the internet, Internet Explorer (IE) is probably the browser most people who are reading this are using. Owned by Microsoft, part of IE’s success can be attributed to the fact that it’s the only default browser installed on Windows machines. IE’s strength comes from its low resource usage meaning that it’s a great browser for multi-tab usage and one that won’t eat up all of your computers RAM. IE is often scrutinized for having poor security, and is one of the points Microsoft is improving on.

Google Chrome

Google Chrome is Google’s sleek new browser that was released in late 2008. Chrome was marketed as an OS that doubles as a search engine, as the navigation bar is also used as Google search. In addition to the search function, emphasis was placed on making a search engine that was fast and that was secure. Chrome has delivered in becoming a safe browser that alerts the users anytime they’re visiting a site that could possibly be harmful and protecting them. Chrome is one of the smallest browsers in terms of usage, but it’s still technically a beta version and hasn’t caught on in full force.

So what internet browser is right for you? The answer is that you should try them all for yourself and decide! All of these browsers are completely free and all have defining features that are appealing to some people and a nonfactor for others.

Photo Credits: juanma.

Originally posted 2009-11-27 03:42:15.

Google Chat

You can use Gmail

The nice thing about Gmail is the ease with which you can make changes. The only problem is there is so much going on with Gmail and Google that it is also easy to feel a little lost.

Setting up Chat

If you haven’t already you will need to set up chat. Sign into your Gmail account and select Settings from the upper right hand corner. In the Settings box select Chat from the options at the top. Go through each option in the Chat box and select the options you want.

The Contact List

Should the friend who wants to be added to chat not be in your contact list adding them is easy. From the Gmail main page click Contacts which is located on the right side toward the middle of the screen. Select the New Contact button located in the top left corner of the Contact Manager box. In the Contact box enter your contact’s information in the fields. Double check the information and then click Save to add this contact.

Adding the Contact to Chat

Now that the friend is a contact you can go back to Gmail main page and then go to Contacts and click the friend you want to chat with and look at the bottom of the page. There is a button which says Send Invites. If the other person has a Gmail account he or she will automatically have a message sent to them inviting them to your chat. If the person does not a Gmail account then an invite to create a Gmail account is sent instead.

Chat with Gmail works in one or two ways. A chat box can be opened from the Gmail main page any time you are signed in and available. You can also load Google Talk which can run simultaneously with the Gmail chat. You can use a variety of applications while using Gmail chat including Emoticons.

Check for new updates

When you are in Gmail you can find the selection for Google Labs in the upper right corner. This is where Google tries out all the new tricks and treats for Gmail, Chat and its other applications. If you select it you can scroll down and find new goodies to use. It is a good idea to check here often as new stuff shows up all the time. Once you are chatting with friends you will learn to keep an eye out for new people to chat with and new contacts to make using Gmail and Chat.

Photo Credits: 0ze|

Originally posted 2010-06-02 03:55:09.

Google Search

1. Google-Google is the search engine giant, in fact they’ve had such success with their search engine that they’re able to start competing in the realms of internet browsers, and they’re even making an operating system! Google even offers what’s considered to be the best email service on the net today. Gmail or Google Mail is praised for its easy to use interface and storage space. Google’s search engine has the highest number of available hits for your searches, meaning that it will bring up the most relevant pages based on what you enter to search for. Google also offers special translation and phrase searching which will further increase the productivity during use.

2. Yahoo!-Google’s largest competitor, Yahoo! is a very successful search engine that has the next largest number of available ‘web objects’ after a Google search. Yahoo has notable features such as Yahoo! Shortcuts which are designed to help you find the information you need by splitting categories up into commonly sought out information. Examples of Yahoo! Shortcuts include sports scores and the weather. Like Google, Yahoo! has ventured beyond just a search engine and offers you a myriad of devices from Yahoo! Mail an emailing service to an instant messaging service.

3. Bing-Bing is the newest player in the search engine business, being developed by software giant Microsoft to compete with Google. Many critics questioned what Bing could do differently to make the switch from Google to Bing, but thus far Microsoft has delivered creating an easy to use and efficient search engine. Bing allows you to narrow down your searches like never before and separates your searches into easy to understand categories such as general, video and image searches.

There is no correct answer to what the best search engine is. You can be sure though that there are many choices for you to choose from. Google, Yahoo!, and Bing all offer unique experiences that should all be tried before passing final judgment. They’re all free, after all.

Photo Credits: Bramus!

Originally posted 2009-10-29 03:53:46.

Google Talk

Google Talks Abilities Google allows you to chat from your desktop or laptop. You can send anyone else using the same or similar type of IM software messages, photos, links, or files. It works well with co-workers who can check on each other’s progress or ask questions of one another without leaving their desks. Husbands and wives can use it to speak to each other from work and home to discuss the children’s needs, travel plans or anything that comes to their minds. Friends can chat while watching televisions shows and be able to keep up minute by a minute with the action. Adding new contacts is easy and the settings are not difficult to change and update.

Adding Google Talk to your Screen

Go to Google.com and search for Google Talk.

At the Google Talk Loading page check the requirements to make sure the download will work on your PC. There is also a notice on this page that by downloading you are agreeing to Google’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This is a standard agreement.

To start the download hit the Download Google Talk button. You will get the googletalk-setup.exe box select the Save File button. A button popup will ask “Do you want to save this file.” Verify where the file is directed to before selecting the Run button. You want the file loaded to the C drive.

Setting up Google Talk

The Google Talk box will now appear. Create you user name and password in the fields offered. You do not have to use your Gmail account name. You might want to stick to a nickname to help protect your privacy. When using IM technology security is important so select an uncommon password.

The Pluses for using Google Chat

You can load your avatar from any storage area on your computer. Note that at the top there is a status option. It can be left on available or changed. You can your status to anything you wish to let others know what you’re doing. You can even tell people what you music you are listening to, or change the status to let people know where you are on a project. You can add contracts from Gmail or enter them in manually. Once added your contacts will show either offline or with a status message.

Photo Credits: ford

Originally posted 2010-06-03 03:15:10.

Internet Explorer 7

Security

The simple fact is, Internet Explorer is not nearly as safe as its leading competitors, even if you have the latest patches. These issues go way beyond the scope of this article, however, but you should be forewarned that your credit card may not be safe when making a purchase. The best way to avoid these issues if you’re a Internet Explorer user is to simply use Firefox or Google Chrome for any credit card purchases you need to make.

ActiveX

This could be coupled with the safety issue, but this one is just too big to even lump it with the general safety of the browser. ActiveX allows other people to access your computer for the execution of certain programs. While this sounds nice a perfect world, it simply opens up way to many doors for hackers, malware, spyware and virus leaks to find their way onto your computer. The difference between IE and other browsers is that you don’t even get asked whether you want to download something or not, IE just lets them in.

Web Standards

Web standards were designed for a reason, so that everyone could design one universal code of how things should work and be organized. Microsoft continues to ignore these standards creating chaos for Internet Explorer users. You may design a website that looks perfect in Firefox, Safari, and Chrome but it could have many glaring problems when you try to view it in Internet Explorer. Why are these standards a problem? Internet Explorer makes up over 70% of internet users!

Add-on Support

It’s impossible for a software company to meet the demands of all of its users. This is why many companies allow their users to develop their own Add-ons to boost the efficiency and make their browser more appealing. You may not like the default look of Firefox, but once you use a few Add-ons you may love it, this is what Microsoft is missing out on.

Internet Explorer is not a lost cause, but there is certainly a cause for concern going into the future. If Microsoft hopes to maintain a steady hold over its users it needs to address the above problems. You should consider how these problems affect you, and make the switch to a new browser accordingly.

Photo Credits: dannysullivan

Originally posted 2009-11-04 03:21:54.