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For the past couple of months here in the office we have been testing Microsoft’s Windows Home Server and we are very impressed! So much so that we plan to run a whole bunch of tutorials, reviews and tips in the new year for this!

We’ll be covering things like –

• What Windows Home Server (WHS) can do for you at Home
• What WHS can do for you in a Small Office Environment
• WHS & Backing Up
• It’s limitations when compared to Small Business Server
• Buying Advice
• Ways to extend your WHS
• Accessing your Home Server’s Shared Files and Computers remotely
• and More…

So book mark this category on pctoolbox.co.uk ready for this great new section for 2009 !

Live Mesh is a new application from the ‘Windows Live‘ range.  Mesh enables you to connect to your devices, desktops etc from anywhere in the world.  This really is a breakthrough in technology in a market which is becoming more and more internet based.  There is just one thing which you must do to be able to use the software which is to have a free Windows Live ID.

You can synchronize information/documents you need between devices which eliminates any reliance on emails.  To do this you’d just simply have to install the Live Mesh software onto each device and then upload the information through the filling system on the application.  This therefore allows you to be able to access all the documents you add to Mesh from anywhere, assuming you have an internet connection.

You are also able to share with family, friends and colleagues by inviting them to use/view a folder in your Mesh.  In the shred folder you are able to update documents, post comments and use instant messaging between folder between members.

There is also a news feature which keeps you up to date on any changes which have been made to any of the folders which you are a member of.  This also shows you if other folder members are online or not.

There of course is a limited amount of space you can use which is just over 5GB.  5GB is plenty for a majority of users, but a few may find it too little.

What do you think of Mesh?

Today’s quick tip is the penultimate of the Shortcut Series.  Our category this week is Microsoft Outlook Shortcut Keys.  We think that it is worthwhile remembering a few of these shortcuts because they are bound to come in useful!  Please Note: Some shortcuts may not work in Outlook 2007.

Microsoft Outlook Shortcut Keys:

Alt + S – Send the email
Ctrl + C – Copy selected text
Ctrl + X – Cut selected text
Ctrl + P – Open print dialog box
Ctrl + K – Complete name/email typed in address bar
Ctrl + B – Bold highlighted selection
Ctrl + I – Italicize highlighted selection
Ctrl + U – Underline highlighted selection
Ctrl + R – Reply to an email
Ctrl + F – Forward an email
Ctrl + N – Create a new email
Ctrl + Shift + A – Create a new appointment to your calendar
Ctrl + Shift + O – Open the Outbox
Ctrl + Shift + I – Open the Inbox
Ctrl + Shift + K – Add a new task
Ctrl + Shift + C – Create a new contact

Next week is the last of the Quick Tip Shortcut Series.  The Shortcut topic will be Winkey Shortcuts

Disclaimer: pctoolbox.co.uk cannot be held responsible for any problems that are caused from using the shortcuts.  All shortcuts work to the best of our knowledge.

Week four of the Quick Tip Shortcut Series.  This week we have Excel Shortcut Keys.  We think that it is worthwhile remembering a few of these shortcuts because they are bound to come in useful!  Please Note: Some shortcuts may not work in Excel 2007.

Microsoft Excel Shortcut Keys:

F2 – Edit the selected cell
F5 – Go to a specific cell
F7 – Spell check selected text and/or document
F11 – Create Chart
Ctrl + Shift + ; – Enter current time
Ctrl + ; – Enter current date
Alt + Shift + F1 – Insert new worksheet
Shift + F3 – Open the Excel formula window
Shift + F5 – Bring up search box
Ctrl + A – Select all contents of worksheet
Ctrl + B – Bold highlighted selection
Ctrl + I – Italicize highlighted selection
Ctrl + C – Copy selected text
Ctrl + V – Paste
Ctrl + D – Fill
Ctrl + K – Insert Link
Ctrl + F – Open find and replace options
Ctrl + U – Underline highlighted selection
Ctrl + Y – Underline selected text
Ctrl + O – Open options
Ctrl + N – Open new document
Ctrl + P – Open print dialog box
Ctrl + S – Save
Ctrl + Z – Undo last action
Ctrl + F9 – Minimize current window
Ctrl + F10 – Maximize currently selected window
Ctrl + F6 – Switch between open workbooks/windows
Ctrl + Page Up + Page Down – Move between excel worksheets in the same document
Ctrl + ‘ – Insert value of above cell into current cell
Ctrl + Space – Select entire column
Shift + Space – Select entire row
Ctrl + W – Close Document

Next week our topic is Microsoft Outlook Shortcut Keys!

Disclaimer: pctoolbox.co.uk cannot be held responsible for any problems that are caused from using the shortcuts.  All shortcuts work to the best of our knowledge.

This week it week three of the Quick Tip Shortcut Series.  The topic for this week is Microsoft Word Shortcut Keys.  We think that it is worthwhile remembering a few of these shortcuts because they are bound to come in useful!  Please Note: Some shortcuts may not work in Word 2007.

Microsoft Word Shortcut Keys:

Ctrl + A – Select all contents of the page
Ctrl + B – Bold highlighted selection
Ctrl + C – Copy selected text
Ctrl + X – Cut selected text
Ctrl + N – Open new/blank document.
Ctrl + O – Open options
Ctrl + P – Open the print window
Ctrl + F – Open find box
Ctrl + I – Italicize highlighted selection
Ctrl + K – Insert Link
Ctrl + U – Underline highlighted selection
Ctrl + V – Paste
Ctrl + Y – Redo the last action performed
Ctrl + Z – Undo last action
Ctrl + J – Justify paragraph alignment
Ctrl + L – Align selected text to the left
Ctrl + Q – Align selected paragraph to the left
Ctrl + E – Align selected text or line to the center
Ctrl + R – Align selected text or line to the right
Ctrl + M – Indent paragraph
Ctrl + T – Hanging indent
Ctrl + D – Font options
Ctrl + Shift + F – Change Font
Ctrl + Shift + * – View or hide non printing characters
Ctrl + <– (Arrow Left) – Move one word to the left
Ctrl + –> (Arrow Right) – Move one word to the right
Ctrl + Arrow Up – Move to the beginning of the line or paragraph
Ctrl + Arrow Down – Move to the end of the paragraph
Ctrl + Del – Delete word to right of cursor
Ctrl + Backspace – Delete word left of cursor
Ctrl + End – Move cursor to end of document
Ctrl + Home – Move cursor to beginning of document
Ctrl + Space – Reset highlighted text to default font
Ctrl + Alt + 1 – Change text to heading 1
Ctrl + Alt + 2 – Change text to heading 2
Ctrl + Alt + 3 – Change text to heading 3
F1 – Open help
Shift + F3 – Change case of selected text
Shift + Insert – Paste
F7 – Spell check selected text and/or document
Shift + F7 – Activate the thesaurus
F12 – Save As
Ctrl + S – Save
Shift + F12 – Save
Alt + Shift + D – Insert current date
Alt + Shift + T – Insert current time
Ctrl + W – Close document

Next week is Shortcuts for Microsoft Excel!

Disclaimer: pctoolbox.co.uk cannot be held responsible for any problems that are caused from using the shortcuts.  All shortcuts work to the best of our knowledge.

Continuing the Quick Tip Shortcut Series, this week we have tips for Microsoft Windows.  We think that it is worthwhile remembering a few of these shortcuts because they are bound to come in useful!

Microsoft Windows Shortcut Keys:

Alt + Tab – Switch between applications
Alt + Shift + Tab – Switch backwards between open applications
Alt + Print Screen – Create a screen shot of the current program
F2 – Rename selected icon
F3 – Start find from desktop
F5 – Refresh contents
Alt + F4 – Close current open program
Ctrl + F4 – Close Window in Program
Ctrl + Plus Key – Automatically adjusts the width of selected icon or program
Alt + Enter – Open properties window of selected icon or program
Shift + F10 – Simulate right-click on selected item
Shift + Del – Delete programs/files permanently
Holding Shift During Bootup – Boot safe mode or bypass system files

Next week is week 3 and Microsoft Word Shortcut Keys.

Disclaimer: pctoolbox.co.uk cannot be held responsible for any problems that are caused from using the shortcuts.  All shortcuts work to the best of our knowledge.

So we have had Firefox 3, Google Chrome and on the horizon is Internet Explorer 8! At the moment there is a beta version out which we have been playing with. We would like to remind users that beta versions are really only for designers and developers or those more competent computer users. This is because it is not a final version and there is a possibility of some stability issues!

If you think you are one of those users then take a look at the IE8 Beta download, otherwise it is best to wait for it to be properly released, but if you want to read about what is different then take a look at the office IE8 site.

We have been playing with the beta and like it very much, which means a lot considering we are BIG Firefox fans! Some pages which don’t work too well in IE7 now work properly in IE8 which is brilliant! In our eyes they have fixed the CSS layout issues, we also think it is quicker than IE7 which can’t be bad, there are a number of nice new features which we could talk about but read properly about them all here, a couple that stand out to us are the InPrivate browsing and also the SmartScreen Filter.

This is just a short post highlighting this new release of Internet Explorer so we won’t be reviewing it properly until it has been released, but well worth keeping an eye on we think!

You may or may not realise that Windows Vista Home Premium and Vista piece of Ultimate includes Windows DVD Maker.  Windows DVD Maker is a software which enables you to create DVD’s which are not just personalised but look professional too!

You can add a variety of media, such as; pictures, music and movies.  However….the DVD Maker doesn’t support some media format, for example: it doesn’t support music file formats which itunes use.  A way to over come this problem is on itunes make a playlist of the tracks you would like on the DVD, make a copy of the playlist on a CD.  Then import the CD using Windows Media Player ensuring that you don’t protect the files because that would prevent from being used in the DVD Maker.  Then insert the tracks that you imported through Windows Media Player.  (Make sure you don’t break any copyright laws when doing this!)

The thing I found most fustrating in the DVD Maker was that your ability to modify the actual movie/slideshow was very limited.  You don’t have much influence on the chapter/scene organisation and the transition between features.  I suggest that if want to produce a detailed and very personalised DVD then produce the actual movie on Windows Movie Maker and then import it into Windows DVD Maker to produce the menu’s and the physical DVD.  I’ll take this moment to remind you that if you don’t have a DVD burner you won’t be able to put the movie onto the disc.

You can download Windows Movie Maker for free for Vista or for XP.

Some ideas for using DVD Maker:

• Make a holiday DVD
• Birthday presents
• Birthday DVD
• Wedding DVD
• Baby Photos

We think using DVD Maker is a great way of bringing the nation to the 21st century, why not watch a DVD of your holiday snaps instead of everyone crowding round the pack of photos!  It’ll probably work out cheaper too!

How do you make your DVD’s?  Would you like a tutorial?

RED is a global fund put together to help the fight against AIDS in Africa. In January 08, Dell and Microsoft joined together to support the cause by creating a RED Product Range. Dell and Microsoft are only the most recent companies to join the product range, already RED have support from Motorola, American Express, Gap, Giorgio Armani, Converse, Apple and Hallmark. The links take you to the RED section for each company to see what they are providing for the charity and how they got involved. You may be thinking, “well this is good but I bet it’ll cost me loads more money to buy the products!” Well it doesn’t! It’s at no extra cost to you, you just have to buy the product and the company that the product is from will give some of its’ profit to the charity.

The products in the Dell RED collection are Printer 948 (PRODUCT) RED, XPS M1530 (PRODUCT) RED, XPS M1330 (PRODUCT) RED and XPS One. Microsoft’s RED Product Collection isn’t quite as expansive as the other companies involved, however it is as equally as interesting. Their RED Product is Windows Vista Ultimate (Product) RED which has been put on all of the Dell Laptops and Desktops mentioned previously in this blog article.

Want to find out a bit more about the charity and what they actually do? The image above is RED’s ‘mission statement’, click on it and you’ll go the the site. On the website there is also an about page.

The site also has some cool features which help publicise RED (e.g. Community Tool Kit and Impact Cards.) Also there is an Impact Calculator which shows you how the money you have spent has helped the organisation by showing you what different products can buy the charity.

We think this is a great way for some of the big companies to get really behind a need in this world and one that we can be part of too!  Fantastic Idea!

We have talked in the past about places to store data online, but for those that have a Live account or Hotmail account you don’t need to sign up for anything new, you can just start using the 5GB of free storage space that you can get with Skydrive!

Store data privately that can be accessed anywhere and/or store data that you want to share with friends and family, either way it is nice and easy!

The only downside we found is not being able to upload a whole folder, you have to upload a bunch of files instead.

Give it a go, skydrive.live.com