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Some of the Best Things in Life Really Are Free
Our New Phone Number One of Google's newest free services is called Google Voice. This service allows you to have a single phone number that, when dialed, will cause all your various phones (or whichever ones you choose) to ring. Our new number is (949) 891-1731 – and it simultaneously activates our regular and cell phones. Go to www.services.google.com to request your free number. We Also Have Skype Speaking of great freebies, We just installed Skype on our new Mac. Our Skype ID is donedrington0626, and it will be used only for computer-to-computer Skype calls (from anywhere in the world). Yes, the Mac has a webcam, but it might not be turned on – not sure we're ready for visual as well as audio communications. Free Anti-Virus/Anti-Spyware Software from Microsoft Microsoft recently released its much-discussed free anti-malware program. It's called "Microsoft Security Essentials" and runs full-time to guard against a variety of virus and spyware threats. Microsoft Security Essentials replaces Live OneCare, Microsoft's previous full-time security program that sold for about $50 annually. Microsoft Security Essentials can be downloaded here: Microsoft Security Essentials. (http://microsoft.com/security_essentials/) Nonetheless, the OneCare "free scan and repair service" is still available. This service also repairs Windows Registry errors, in addition to dealing with viruses and spyware. You can access these free services at: Free Vista Scan or Free XP Scan Windows 7 Speaking of Microsoft, Windows 7 will be released on October 22. All the reviews we've read agree that Win7 is a big improvement over Vista and much more user-friendly (similar to WinXP).
Well, our guess is that OpenOffice will offer a Win7-compatible version very soon. In the meantime, however, the Google Docs suite (compatible with MSWord, Excel, and PowerPoint) works just fine, since they are "cloud computing" programs and run independently of a computer's operating system, whether PC or Mac. Go to Docs.google.com for details. Shopping Online Another freebie we like here in California is the fact that Amazon.com charges no sales tax on purchases (because they are located out of state) and they rarely add shipping charges. Furthermore, their prices are almost always lower than those of competitors and they have a no-hassle return and exchange policy that is the friendliest we've found anywhere. When you factor in the money saved by not having to drive around to different stores, we can't imagine any other way to shop in this digital age. Regarding free services, it seems that everybody has a Facebook page these days. I originally signed up to research answers for readers who have questions about the site, but I now use it mostly to maintain contact with my two granddaughters. One is going to school in Italy and the other just had a baby girl (her first child and my first time at being a great-granddad). Well, instead of sending emails and photos, they post everything on their Facebook pages, from where friends and family can view and/or download whatever they want. Social networking sites can be lots of fun, but they are also fertile ground for evildoers who are out to steal your identity or make your life miserable in other ways. Before signing up, type something like "facebook fraud" into Google or any other search engine to learn about the dangers. |
Senior Computer Tutor
Don Edrington
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Senior Computer Tutor
Don Edrington
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