Tips, guides, and reviews about software, web apps, technology, mobile phones, and computers.
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How To: Figure Out What svchost.exe Is Actually Doing
Windows XP/Vista: If you’ve ever dug around in your Windows Task Manager (available by pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ESC and clicking the Processes tab), you no doubt have noticed multiple instances of a process called svchost.exe. Not only is the title of this process ambiguous, it typically exists as System, Network Service, and Local…
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How To: Restore Built-In Zip File Integration in Windows XP
Have you ever used a new computer and found, to your dismay, that a 3rd-party shareware program (such as WinZip) was currently set to handle compressed .zip files? Windows XP already has built-in .zip file integration, so unless you’ve decided to replace it with a program such as 7-zip, it is usually best to let…
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Gather Hardware Information With CPU-Z
CPU-Z is a lightweight freeware program that very useful when it comes to finding out your computer’s detailed hardware information. CPU-Z focuses on gathering motherboard, processor, and memory information and displays it in an organized and easy to read format. Information Gathered CPU Name and number Core stepping and process Package Core voltage Internal and…
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Microsoft Adds Netflix Integration to Windows Media Center
Microsoft recently announced that Windows Media Center – the company’s all-in-one home theater media center – will now support the Netflix Instant Streaming library of over 12,000 movies and TV shows. Windows Media Center software is included in both Vista Home and Ultimate editions by default and is also included in Windows XP Media Center…
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Keep Your Desktop Organized with Fences
How many times have you had projects, temporary Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, or other “junk-yet-necessary” items on your computer’s desktop combined with shortcuts for Firefox, Messenger, Windows Media, or iTunes? Why is it so hard to keep organized each one of these items? Many people search through their desktops covered with this smorgasbord of different…
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How To: Find Out if Your PC is Windows 7 Ready
With the final release of Windows 7 approaching, many people are wondering if their current PC will be able to run the new operating system. As we mentioned in our previous coverage of the Windows 7 RC release, the system requirements for Microsoft’s forthcoming operating system are surprisingly light: 1GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or…
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How To: Filter the Noise From Your Facebook News Feed
Update: We’ve published a new edition of this article for the updated version of Facebook. Check that out instead. Facebook has made some interface changes lately which have caused some frustration with its core users. Most recently, they’ve removed the ability to exclusively view status updates on the Friends tab, which leaves you with only…
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YouMail – Voicemail Done Right
I miss answering machines. Allow me to clarify: let’s go back approximately ten years when there were still answering machines around. I call you, you’re not home. The answering machine picks up, plays your little message, beeps, and I say what I need to say. Done. Today’s voicemail service could learn a thing or two…
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Want To Try Windows 7? Install it on a Virtual Machine
With the public release of Windows 7 RC, many software developers and tech enthusiasts are flocking to the download site to get their hands on the highly anticipated successor to Windows Vista. Many individuals downloading the Windows 7 RC have extra systems that are dedicated for software development and application testing. But what if you…
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Stream Your Music Library With Vibe Streamer
Vibe Streamer is a free program that allows you to stream your music library to any device with a Flash enabled web browser. Vibe Streamer also offers a set of security settings, user controls, and customization features. Download and Install Vibe Streamer is very lightweight. The system requirements for Vibe Streamer 2.06 are detailed below:…