On Computers

We’re still getting letters from readers about Microsoft dropping support for Windows XP. As we’ve said, Bob’s computer is Win XP and he isn’t worried. With a good anti-virus and anti-spyware program, you’re fine. Around 95% of all automatic teller machines and 25 percent of all computers still use Windows XP, so this operating system is not going away for a long time.

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Filed under: security, Windows | Comments Off on XP EXPIRATION DATE

While you’re up, how about solving a problem or two? “World Community Grid” is a free program that harnesses the power of linking thousands of computers to solve problems. (We are proud to say we first suggested doing this in a column written more than thirty years ago.)

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Filed under: health, Internuts, science | Comments Off on HELP

So the one-day sale Of Google’s Internet connected glasses resulted in one-day thefts. They all sold out in five hours, at $1500 apiece. The thefts took place a few minutes later. (They look like glasses but Google calls them “glass.” This may be in preparation for the return of wearing a monocle as a fashion statement.)

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Filed under: gadgets, Google, mobile, storage | Comments Off on OH THEFT, WHERE IS THEY BLING

Microsoft surveyed over 10,000 people ages 18 and up from all over the world and this is what they found out: — Only 36 percent of respondents limit the amount of personal information they put on the web. — Only 37 percent look for ways to prevent identity theft. — Fifteen percent of respondents say they or someone they know was a victim of identity theft.

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Joy’s Kindle Fire went into a coma for several months and the battery wouldn’t charge. So we got an iPad Mini, a smaller version of the iPad for $278 from Amazon.

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Filed under: Apple, iPad, Kindle | Comments Off on THE IPAD MINI

“Chinese Cubes Starter Pack” is $149 from ChineseCubes.com or free in a limited version for iPad/iPhone. It’s a system of learning Chinese by moving blocks, each of which has a Chinese character, a meaning in English and a simplified way of writing the word or phrase. Using the blocks in various combinations can produce 2500 phrases.

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Filed under: education | Comments Off on CHINESE CUBES

In the Android world of tablets and phones, game costs pile up. We heard about a child who spent $70 on her new adventure game before mother caught on. Most of the money for these games goes for buying “equipment.” Like: everybody needs a light sword these days. Where have you been?

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Filed under: apps, passwords | Comments Off on RUNAWAY GAME COSTS

The refined grist of hundreds of conversations has taught us that everybody wants to be a writer. Now they can. You and you and your Uncle Max can publish their fiction and non-fiction on WattPad, an online site. It also has hundreds of free classics, such as “Jane Eyre,” “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War.” The web site, Wattpad.com, draws15 million readers a month. And posts more than 1.5 million new stories. Some are from best-selling writers, like Margaret Atwood, author of “The Handmaid’s Tale.” But most seem to be from teenagers, who display an inordinate interest in sex. Who knew? Random example: “I’m the SuperModel in a BoysBoarding School.” Not only are these […]

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Filed under: books, Internuts, word processing | 1 Comment »

“55 Must-Read Cleaning Tips” Type that phrase into Google or your favorite search engine. Example: Put LEGO pieces into a laundry bag and wash in the washing machine or dish washer.

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SitterCity helps you find a babysitter. It claims it runs background checks on a database of over 150,000 caregivers. Our niece got a nanny job in New York City this way and friends say it does a good job of finding babysitters, nannies and pet sitters.

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Filed under: Internuts | Comments Off on SITTER CITY