Over the course of the next couple of days, I’m going to post quite a few articles in relation to the 89 best PC tips. This will include everything from Audio, iTunes, Email, Productivity, Mac OS X Tips & Tricks, Security, Travel, Video, the Web and even Media in general! This is a very well thought out and well written list originally from Laptop Mag. I enjoyed reading this article so much that I decided it was worth re-publishing. All of the original copyrights are in place, the next series of articles, titled 89 best PC tips, are completely credited to LaptopMag!
The following series of tips is in complete dedication to the Web.
#1 – Get More Out of Google
Google does a lot more than search: Type “two dollars in yen” and find out how much a Japanese tourist pays to ride the New York City subways. Picking up someone from the airport? Type the name of an airline and the flight number to see if it’s on time. The same can be done for packages: Enter a FedEX, UPS or USPS tracking number into the search box to see where in the world it is.
#2 – Use Shortcuts
A well-placed keystroke or mouse click will help stave off carpal tunnel syndrome for another day. To find text as you type while surfing, press the “/” key. Want to open a new tab? Simply double-click on the tab box. Text too small to read? In either Firefox or Internet Explorer, click View > Text Size.
#3 – Clear your History
In the hands of a micromanaging boss, your Web browser’s history could mean trouble. Holding Control-Shift-Delete will clear private data quickly, but to clear history as well, go to Tools menu in Firefox, select Options > Privacy > Clear Now. In IE, select “Delete Browsing History” in the Tools menu. Truly paranoid surfers can opt for Firefox to clear all private data every time they end a session.
#4 – Give Widgets a Try
Sure, you could go for Google’s or Vista’s Gadgets, but Yahoo Widgets 4.5 (free – widgets.yahoo.com) is more aesthetically appealing, and offers a greater variety of fun desktop tchotchkes. The standard weather, sports scores, and news widgets are all there, plus unique widgets like the Drum Pad, which lets you create musical beats from your desktop. The Office Videos widget lets you watch clips from the hit show without having to launch a browser. Other favorites include the iTunes bar for controlling playback (complete with album art) and JC Sticky Delux (digital post-it notes).
#5 – Put the Surf in Surfing
Instead of visiting the same sites everyday, use StumpleUpon’s add-on (free – www.stumpleupon.com) for your browser to find new sites daily. Input your interests – music, religion, news, games, and more – and the service will feed you all the sites it thinks you would enjoy. Once you’ve discovered a bunch of hidden gems, you can create your own StumbleUpon profile with your favorite sites for others to see.
#6 – Get Smarter RSS Feeds
Google’s recent revamp of its Reader (free – www.google.com/reader) makes it even more powerful by adding a recommendation tool that suggests feeds based on your reading habits, and a tool that lets you share favorite posts with colleagues through Google Talk. Too many feeds? The new drag-and-drop filing system comes in handy.
#7 – Make the most of LinkedIN
Increase your connections exponentially on LinkedIn (free – www.linkedin.com) by importing contacts from Outlook, Facebook, and other databases. Inputting your full job history will make your profile appear in more searches, as will changing the URL of your public profile to include your full name.