Thursday, December 27, 2007

Computer Tips [ Fix Unknown Device Errors + Long Distance Scrolling + Friday Funnies ] 12/28/07

Computer Tipswww.worldstart.com No, this isn't Steve. You can tell because Steve never wears a suit :-)

Quick Tips

Google Ads Attacked

So, tell me, how much do you love Google? Do you get excited every time you see their logo? As we all know, Google takes precedence over a lot of the other search engine Web sites on the Internet today and their name just seems to show up everywhere. These days, it seems impossible to go to a Web site and not see the word Google on every page you visit. Of course, there are some sites that are Google-free, but from their search engine boxes to their advertisements, etc., Google is all over the place!

And that's precisely why we all need to be extra careful. It was discovered earlier this week (December 25, 2007) that some of the Google ads placed on certain Web sites were hijacked by Trojan software. So, what's that mean exactly? Well, the software started replacing the text ran by Google with ads from different providers. If you happened to click on one of those, you would be redirected to a third party ad instead of one placed by Google. The Trojan would then begin to infect your computer. It's a sneaky little thing, huh?!

Now, according to the security company BitDefender, the Trojan (going by the name of Trojan.Qhost.WU) is spreading at a low level and it is causing medium damage, but you still need to pay close attention to what you click on when you're browsing through Web sites. A Google spokesperson said they are working to remove the dangerous sites from their ad network and their search results. They have both manual and automated processes set up to enforce those policies. All in all, this is an unfortunate occurrence, but if you're extra careful when using the Internet, you will be just fine. Plus, it's comforting to know how hard Google is working to keep us all safe as well. Just giving you a heads up!

~ Erin

Here's a happy, happy Friday to you all! Make sure you keep reading to learn all about the "Unknown Device" error message and how you can fix it, find out how to take an easy scroll in MS Excel and learn all about the brand new Better Gmail 2. Also, be sure to check out the Friday Funnies for your daily laugh and as always, don't miss out on Amanda's Cool Site of the Day. Enjoy and have a great weekend, everyone! : )

Announcements

AWESOME Program, AWESOME Price!

Help Your Computer Help You!

It Wants To Run Faster ~ Why Not Let It?!?!

$140.00 Worth of Software for JUST $12.97!!!

WOW - if you missed this yesterday, you definitely want to keep reading! The program is called Fix-It Utilities Pro 7 and the response has been AMAZING! This is a best selling, award winning utility program by one of the best in the business and we have it for an amazing price for a limited time only! Let me tell ya, if you miss out on this one, you're really missing out! Here's the scoop:

If you've been looking for a way to crank up the speed of your computer - this is it! It can tweak and optimize everything you need to make things go from a crawl to a fly!!!

First off, this is built to make things run better. And let me tell ya - when things run better, you'll see the speed just build right up! Run this program and do the optimizations - you'll see the difference right away! I wonder how I ever got along without it! Oh, and it's incredibly easy to use! VERY friendly interface! You'll love it!

This thing can crank up the speed on so many things! Get your computer to boot faster, make it launch programs faster, and watch just how much faster your programs work when you have everything optimized! WOW!

Oh, and it doesn't stop after it turn you're sluggish computer into a speed demon! Nope it can also monitor your system and alert you when problems are about to happen! It's like having a psychic on your hard drive! I know, it's fantastic! Say your hard drive is about to tank - well, this monitors it for signs of trouble and can alert you of potential problems - and give you a chance to save all that valuable data!

What if your computer stops working? Well, this is the program you want if that happens! It can create a recovery CD that can help you get a non-booting system working again - Talk about a real life saver! It can even repair corrupted files!

Think that's all? It gets even better! This has a fantastic file recovery tool that lets you actually recover deleted files! I don't know about you, but I've deleted more than my fair share of files that I didn't want gone. With this, I can actually recover deleted files! I've used it on my hard drive and a few times on memory cards when I accidently deleted an important photo! To me, this alone is enough reason to own this baby!

Plus, get this - it even comes with $80 of bonus software! It has the fantastic PowerDesk 6 (this is amazing file manager - very cool and well worth having) and Recovery Commander (to fix a broken system). $80 of software - free with this program!

You cost? Well, this is a $40 program - and it's a deal at that price - but you get it for just $12.97 and US shipping is FREE! Heck of a deal - check it out, you'll love it too!

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=3858

PS - This is one that you've just gotta try! I have it on my computer and use it on a very regular basis! Highly recommended - and for $12.97 you just can't go wrong! Grab it today!


Not Sure About A Webcam!?!

Don't Worry, It's Easier Than You Think!!

And Really Affordable Too! - Just $26.97!!!

Make Your IM's, Emails and Websites Come Alive...

We have a really great deal for you today on a topnotch Logicool Webcam!! With the great price - this is one deal you really want to take advantage of!! OK, I can't wait to tell you the details on this one - check this out:

First off, quality is through the roof! This uses USB 2.0 (backward compatible with USB 1.x), so the frame rate is just fantastic. The video (30 frames a second) is amazing! Really clear and smooth. And with the built-in mic, you can say what's on your mind with live audio and video! You can also capture videos and photos and e-mail them in one simple click as well as create stunning Web albums to share your photos with everyone around the world!

Oh, and setup is a breeze! We're talking just plugging it in, running the CD, and you're all set. You can be up and running in less than 10 minutes!! I wish everything was this easy to install!

One of my favorite uses for this is using it with my instant messenger - and we have a blast doing it too! It's a lot cooler than picking up the phone, plus it doesn't cost ya a dime in long distance! Gotta love that!

Plus, the camera is very universal and can be used for just about anything you can think of - video monitoring, video security, web sites, and it can even take still pictures! Hundreds of uses! It even has a tripod stand so you can place it just about anywhere! I just love this thing!!

If you've ever looked at these types of cameras, you know they can get pricey - $50 to $100 is the average range ~ Yikes! We were able to get an AWESOME deal on these, so your cost is just $26.97 with FREE US shipping! Check it out:

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=4050

Please Note - Once again, we have a VERY limited supply of these available - please get to the site quickly or you'll miss out on one of the best webcam deals ever! The price will increase to $32.97 very soon!!

Computers 101

Q:
Lately, an "Unknown Device" error message has been popping up on my screen. What exactly does that mean and how can I get rid of it? Please help me!

A:
Oh yes, I know that error message well. I know from experience how frustrating that can be, so it's great that you've asked for help. Let's get to the bottom of this right away!

If you have several external devices that run through your USB ports, you may have come across an "Unknown Device" error before. This error will show up under your Device Manager (to get there, right click on the My Computer icon on your desktop, choose Properties, Hardware tab, Device Manager button). If you've ever wondered what could be causing this error, you may want to check out these troubleshooting techniques!

One problem could be that the USB device you're using requires its own power supply. This can also happen with USB adapters. If your device came with its own AC power brick, try plugging that in. Another cause of the unknown error could be that some of your ports are connected incorrectly. Check your ports and make sure they run from the standard red, white, green and black order. Also, make sure no more than four wires are being used per port.

A more common problem is that the device you're using is defective. This can throw off the whole setup of the USB functionality. If possible, try using the device on another computer to see if it really is broken or if it's really one of your ports. The last thing you can check on is the drivers. Are all the necessary drivers for the device installed? Some products require a drive installation before you can even plug in the device. Some devices also require some basic USB files from your original Windows CD before it will work properly. Just make sure you follow the directions correctly and have your Windows CD on hand just in case.

Hopefully one of these troubleshooting tips will help you figure out your USB fiasco!

~ Erin

Have a question for the newsletter? Submit it at the link below:
http://www.worldstart.com/submitquestion.htm

 

MS Office

Long Distance Scrolling in Excel

You all know how the scrolling works in MS Excel, right? The scroll bar basically allows for easy movement in the vicinity of the columns and rows that are already in use.

But, what if you're looking to scroll well beyond that?

You could use the Page Up, Page Down and arrow keys to make your journey, but you may just prefer scrolling. So, what can you do?

Well, there is a quick solution to your problem and it's called the Shift key!

If you hold down the Shift key and then click on the scroll box, you'll find you can do some very rapid and very extended scrolling through your worksheet.

Taking a long distance scroll in Excel just became a little bit easier, wouldn't you say?!

~ April


More Cool Stuff

WS Auction Info:

Hey all - if you haven't been to the WS Auction site anytime soon, you want to get there and check it out! There's a ton of great items up for bid and more are added every day!

If you've never bid on an item in an auction before or have never listed an item for auction, you can check out all the details by clicking here.

The deals are awesome and I know you'll find some items that are truly unique! Don't miss out!

Check it all out here:

http://auctions.worldstart.com/index.php



Great Deals From Our Store...

Finally Friday Special!

We've just come across a great deal that is going to get your weekend started off right!
If you missed out on this last week, you're in luck! We have them back in stock!! You gotta check this one out...

Awesome 1GB MP3/MP4 Player

Just $36.97 - Our Best Price EVER on a 1GB MP3/MP4 Player!!!

You've got to check this one out! This is the coolest little 1GB MP3/MP4 Player I have ever seen and the price is unbelievable!

I know most of you know what an MP3 Player is, but some of you might be asking what's an MP4 Player - right? Well, let me tell you! With this little guy, not only can you download your favorite music to it, you can also download pictures and videos as well! Is that cool or what? You have a whole multimedia library right at your fingertips and ready to go with you anywhere and everywhere!

Check out ALL these great features:

MP3 Player: Uploading and downloading and installing a ton of programs just to get one song onto your MP3 player is extremely frustrating! Not so with this baby ~ even the most inexperienced of computer users will be up and running in no time! This MP3 Player supports virtually any music format you have - MP3, WMA, WAV, etc. You can easily load all your favorite songs and have them with you at all times!

1.5" LCD Screen: Now this is AWESOME! The full-color display is nothing short of spectacular! You can download, store and view pictures as well as music - how cool is that?
When playing music, the song title and artist; battery indicator; play time; play mode; music format, etc. is shown.

Voice Recording: This does more than just play music and videos! This also includes an easy to use voice recorder. No need to write notes to yourself on the back of your hand ever again! You can leave yourself messages right on your MP3 player to listen to later! Talk about convenient!

Game Play: Just in case you get bored listening to music or looking through your pictures, you can play a variety of games that come installed! Choose from: Rusblock, Puzzle, Sudoku and Snake!

Now, I'm not what you'd call an expert when it comes to using an MP3 player, so when I got this one in and checked it out, my first thoughts were - WOW - this is really easy to use and the sound and picture are awesome! What's better yet, the cost is EXTREMELY affordable!

We've offered some really nice MP3 players before, but this one definitely tops the list because it holds photos as well music and you can even play games on it as well! You really do have an all-in-one multimedia unit right at your fingertips - for an AMAZING price! I have nieces that are just a little to young to have the responsibility of owning a $200.00 MP3 Player, so I am so thrilled to be able to get them this one! It's everything they want at a much, much more reasonable price!

This little player is ready to go anywhere and just about everywhere with you! The kit includes: 1GB MP3/MP4 Player, earbuds, a USB cable and power adapter! You can charge this right from your computer via the included USB cable or AC power adapter so, it never needs batteries!

If you've been thinking about picking up an MP3 player, now's the time to grab one ~ the price will not get better!

Again, your cost is only $36.97 (including FREE shipping in the US)! Similar models (iPod) retail for upwards of $149.00, so these are going to go quick ~ I guarantee it ~ everyone here is already putting in their orders (not just me), that's how great these are!

Get to the site today and get yours before they're gone:

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=4044

PS - This is a VERY limited quantity item - be sure to get to the site early to get yours ordered! And, in case you're wondering, 1GB holds about 240 songs - WOW!


Take Your Tunes With You!

This is such a cool item, I know I am going to be using this ALL the time! There are so many different media choices available these days for storage and transport, if you're like me, you use more than one!

I personally have songs saved to a Flash Drive, an SD card and an MP3 player - that's just me - not my husband or kids. It has occurred to me to take these along with me in the car so I can hear my favorite songs while I'm on the road but how (easily I mean)? Now, I know there are many different devices you can use to hook up different types of media to your car stereo, but which one and how much of a hassle it that going to be would be my first question - you too, huh?

When I came across this item today, it really caught my attention. With the help of this awesome little MP3/WMA 3-in-1 Wireless FM Modulator you can listen to your existing song library right through your car stereo, no hassle at all!

Simply plug this guy into your car's cigarette lighter and turn on your car stereo and tune to the same frequency! Then plug in your tunes on whichever format you use - SD or MMC card, USB Flash Drive or an MP3 Player - presto! you have your music coming right through your car stereo speakers so everyone can enjoy! You even have an LCD display that shows you the volume level and name of the song!

This 3-in-1 Wireless FM Modulator supports 15 FM frequencies so you can listen to your MP3/WMA files just about anywhere your car travels take you! The reception is fantastic ~ this is a great way to keep everyone happy on those long car rides!

I've seen similar items retail for upwards of $50.00 - but with the great deal we have for you all on these, your cost is less than half of that - just $24.97 and that includes FREE shipping in the US! Check it out:

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=3904

PS - This is a must-have for road trips! Get to the site and get yours before they're gone - limited quantity available!


Our LOWEST Price EVER!!!

WOW - 4 GIG Flash Drives - Just $28.97!!!
(No Refurbs - No Rebates - No Kidding!!)

Is That Unreal Or What?!?!

Now when I say WOW - I mean WOW! This price is SO GREAT, I had to call back and double check to make sure I heard my supplier correctly!!!!

These are AWESOME 4 Gig Flash Drives and they just keep flyin outta here! 

I just did some checking around to see what these are going for retail right now - here's what I found: the "big box" stores are getting no less than $50.00 for 'em (some are closer to $70.00)!
So when I say it's pretty amazing that we're able to do these for less than $30.00, you know that's not just a line, it's a fact!!

Oh, and get this - these aren't second rate drives, they're PQI drives so you know they're top of the line, and they have a lifetime warranty!

I personally just love these things! I use them for transporting photos, backing up important files, transferring large files - or large numbers of files. It's really handy for bringing files from work to home (and vice versa) ~ I finally got my husband to start using one and he can't believe how simple they are to use and how much easier it makes "transporting" files!

These have replaced the floppy and frankly I think they are probably putting a pretty good dent into CD-R and DVD-R sales! Why burn a disk when you can use these? I can't even remember the last time I burned a disk for anything! I back up all my important files right to one of these!

Oh, and setup is soooo easy! For XP or Vista computers, you just plug it and you're good to go. The drive will show up under My Computer. Just drag the files over you want to put on the drive! That's it!

Here's my favorite feature on this drive... it's "lidless" so you don't lose the cap (like I do all the time). The cover just slides over (while still attached) so you can easily access the USB port and then easily close it back up for storage! I'm so happy about this, I know I've ruined more than one flash drive while it was floating around in my bag without the cover ;-(

Again, the price is AMAZING, so now's the time to buy! Just $28.97 and US shipping is FREE! $50-$70 retail!! It's crazy not to grab a few a this kind of price! Here's the link:

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=3697

PS - We're not sure how long our inventory is going to last on these as it is a limited quantity deal! So, get to the site as soon as you can ~ as usual, first come, first served!!



Tip of the Day

Better Gmail 2

Hello, everyone! If you use Gmail as your main e-mail program and you have the Better Gmail Firefox extension installed on your computer, you may have noticed that it has stopped working lately. Oh no!

Well, first of all, to refresh your memory, Better Gmail allows you to tweak and add new features to your Gmail program (you can read more about it here). The reason it hasn’t been working is because of all the changes Gmail has made. To get the updates, you need to open Firefox and go to Tools, followed by Add Ons. Click on Better Gmail and then hit the Uninstall button.

After Firefox restarts, you need to head over to this link and install Better Gmail 2. Once again, Firefox will restart and when it does, you’ll be all set to go!

In addition, there is a new feature in Better Gmail 2 I’d like to tell you about. Basically, it lets you customize keyboard shortcuts. Cool, huh?! To try it out, go to Tools and click on Better Gmail 2. Next, checkmark the last checkbox that says "Macros Mod." Now, go ahead and refresh Gmail and then press the question mark on your keyboard (it's usually located in the bottom row of keys, all the way to the right). You can then start to choose your very own keyboard shortcuts. It doesn't get any better than that!

I hope you enjoy this nifty feature. Have fun!

~ Neil Patel

If you enjoy our tips, tell your friends. That's what keeps this newsletter growing.
http://www.worldstart.com/referafriend.htm

 

Today's Feature

Friday Funnies

For stories, jokes, quotes and cartoons every day, sign up for our Just for Grins newsletter.

Amanda's Coolsite

ZIPskinny

So, what’s the skinny on your zip code?

Welcome to ZIPskinny, a Web site where you can get Census information by your zip code and compare it to neighboring zip codes around you. It’s really easy to use too! All you have to do is type in your zip code or the zip code you want to know about (I did my mom’s, as well as, my own) and then click on the Get the Skinny button.

The page that loads will have all the Census data for your zip code first and it will then compare it to the neighboring zip codes in your area. The data compared includes: unemployment, marital status, education, income and even poverty.

Beneath that, you’ll find specific statistics for schools in your area, demographics and a map of the area. Underneath that, you will find an even cooler feature! It will have the zip code you typed in and a bunch of blank boxes. Fill in the blank boxes with specific zip codes you’d like to compare to the original query and then click Submit. You can compare up to 20 zip codes at a time!

Once you’ve gotten the skinny on your zip code, you can even put it on your own Web page. To do so, just click the Available Now link above the video at the bottom the page and you’ll be whisked away to the "Create Your ZIPskinny Widget Here" page. You’ll see a bunch of sample charts and a video that shows you how to do it.

I thought this was a really neat site and I just couldn’t wait to share it with all of you. Enjoy!

http://zipskinny.com/

~ Amanda

Do you have a cool, non-commercial site that you want to share?
Send it to Amanda at
amanda@worldstart.com

 

New Titles and Offers

GenoPro Family Tree - $7.97

GenoPro is software used to draw family trees.

Among all the family tree software, GenoPro is the simplest to learn and easiest to use. If you are a beginner to geneology, you can learn to use GenoPro in a few minutes without the need to take a look at the online help.

http://store.worldstart.com/product.php?productid=1868

Monthly Wallpaper

December Wallpaper

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

Hummingbird

WS Photo Contest Winner! - A picture of a hummingbird heading to my feeder for some lunch.

Elk in Snow

This was taken two months ago at Yellowstone National Park. There were scattered snow showers that day and I was able to capture this guy in a snow squall. I think I ended up spending two or three hours with him!

Tahquamenon Falls in Winter

This was shot a couple years ago in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. This was the first snow of the year, so the water was still flowing good. The brown in the water is tannin from the trees that line the river.

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.

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