Redback

Renaming files in bulk – using Windows

Stewart — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:55:21 +0000

Wouldn’t it be nice if you can have a list of files with a sequential names. This is particularly good for use in digital photo frames and media streamers because then the files will display in the right sequence.

It was an easy task in DOS (if anybody can remember that) and can still be done that way but many people can’t do it in Windows – well here’s how!

Mobile Phone Boost

Stewart — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:05:16 +0000

If you are in a poor signal area you may want to boost your mobile signal. Its possible, the kit cost about £200. It’ll need a survey to be sure it’ll work but I reckon about £400 in total should cover everything. That’s pretty reasonable for phone calls, it costs more if you want 3G (for Internet connection).

Vista Slow, Part 3 – get rid of bling!

Stewart — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:06:41 +0000

Vista is not actually as slow as people make out, but it can be slow to start up and one culprit is the Sidebar. Unless you really need it get rid of it – it loads on start up and that’s when Vista does seem slow.

Its easy to remove and you can change your mind later if you want it back.

Right click on the Sidebar and select properties.

This brings up a panel in which you can de-select “Start Side bar when Windows starts”

Vista Slow, Part 2 – more RAM required?

Stewart — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:40:18 +0000

Vista seems slow. Well it can be if you only have 1 Gig of RAM. Many budget PC and laptops were supplied with only 1 Gig of RAM. That seemed loads when moving up from Windows XP which sometimes had as little as a quarter that.

RAM is less expensive now and 2 Gig will make your Vista kit seem just that little bit more spritely. It depends but generally a simple upgrade like that can cost as little as £50 and will save you frustration day in day out.

Vista Slow, Part 1 – you need to update?

Stewart — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:32:35 +0000

Vista has the reputation for being slow. It seems it since the menus slide in and fade out and do all those fancy tricks.

I’ve encountered a lot of PCs and laptops recently which have not been updated. Automatic updates have been switched off – that’s a mistake. Microsoft tried to address some of this perceived slowness with Service Packs. Turn on automatic update and accept them as they arrive, your kit will run faster and will be more secure if you do.

If that doesn’t fix it then let me know.

Don’t Panic – if you collect money from cards?

Stewart — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:24:54 +0000

If you collect money from Debit or Credit Cards you may be panicked into jumping through all sorts of hoops. There are companies out there who would just love to panic you and get you to sign up to one of their audits and take your money. Scam might be too strong a word but there are people jumping onto the bandwagon and scaring small businesses.

Well rightly there are standards and you need to keep within them and they have recently been upgraded. Take your time, speak to your bank and look at the questionnaire on the PCI Standards website. PCI = (Payment Card Industry). Speak to other companies with caution – there is what I’d call fast practice. So don’t panic.

Save Power

Stewart — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 16:57:11 +0000

I’m all for saving power and saving the planet but let’s get some perspective. The Sony TV illustrated uses 0.3Watts on Standby and so that is 9 years on standby will use £0.15 worth of energy. There are better ways of saving energy than turning your TV off at the socket.

Selecting a Printer for a Small Business

Stewart — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:18:38 +0000

If you need a new printer make sure it suits your needs. If you are in the Tunbridge Wells area I’d gladly go over the pros and cons with you, but if you want to do it yourself have a read of this helpful guide by How-to-Geek. http://bit.ly/xHq0aY

Speed-up your Computer – add RAM

Stewart — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:20:55 +0000

A quick and inexpensive way to speed up your PC or Mac is add more RAM. RAM is less expensive than it used to be and its easy to fit so you could fit it yourself. Here’s the instructions but if you get into trouble you can always contact me.

http://bit.ly/ugQO3b

Gmail – more than one account?

Stewart — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:29:19 +0000

Yes you can see more than one at a time!

Very Simple Method – download another browser – Chrome is good – and open the other account in that.

Classy Method – you need to use Google Chrome as your browser for this solution. Click on the spanner symbol (top right) and go to Options > Personal Stuff. Sign in as another user then switch between users. I’ve not tried this so let me know.

By the way export your contacts from one account and then import them into the other and you can keep them in sync that way. If you have a premium account they are kept in sync anyway.