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Normally when we want to select multiple items we have to use the old ‘hold ctrl or shift and select’ trick.  However, we’ve now discovered a far easier way…check boxes.

To enable check boxes do the following…

1. Click on the start orb and type ‘folder options’ into the search box.  Then click enter.
   
2. A new window should then appear.  Click the ‘view’ tab.
3. Scroll down and click in the box next to ‘use check boxes to select items’, so it has a tick in it. Then click OK.
   
4. You’ll now notice that you can click in check boxes by hovering over files and folder. (click on image to enlarge)
   
5. You can also select all by checking the box on the menu bar (Click on image to enlarge)
   
6. And it will also work on desktops
   

We like this feature and would recommend it to you! Any questions then ask below!

Ok, so for the whole of December we thought we would scrap the quick tips and instead post amusing YouTube videos that had some link to computers! So to start us off we have a couple of videos for PC verses Mac…PC’s response to the Mac Ad’s earlier this year!

Enjoy!

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?

This weeks quick tip is the last of the Shortcut Series.  Today’s topic is Winkey Shortcuts.  For those of you that don’t know the Winkey is the Windows Key on the keyboard.  Usually the key is second in from the bottom left of your keyboard.

Winkey Shortcuts:

WINKEY + D – Bring desktop to the top of other windows
WINKEY + M – Minimize all windows
WINKEY + Shift + M – Undo the minimize done by WINKEY + M and WINKEY + D
WINKEY + E – Open Microsoft Explorer
WINKEY + Tab – Cycle through open programs on task bar
WINKEY + F – Display the Windows Search/Find feature
WINKEY + Ctrl + F – Display the search for computers window
WINKEY + F1 – Display the Microsoft Windows help
WINKEY + R – Open the run window
WINKEY + Pause/Break – Open the system properties
WINKEY + U – Open utility manager
WINKEY + L – Lock the computer (Windows XP & Later)

Have you found the Shortcut Series helpful?  Are there any other shortcuts that you’d like us to do a quick tip on?  If so, give us a comment and we’ll try our best!

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.

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?

Last week we looked at Domain Names, this week, Hosting! To have a website that is accessible to everyone it needs to be stored on a computer somewhere, and one that is permentantly connected to the internet as well. This can be done yourself on a computer at home but if you are thinking along those lines then these posts are not for you. Most people, especially beginners choose to host their website with a hosting company.

A Web Hosting company will provide space on a server where you can host (store the files of) your website. They also often offer other features such as:

• POP3 email accounts
• Database support (e.g. MySql, MSSQL)
• Site Building Tools
• eCommerce Tools

For a starter site you are unlikely to need a hugely expensive package, Brandstar’s hosting company Wildhosting.co.uk offer a starter package for just £12.50+vat, which is perfect for many, especially home users. Things to look for when buying your hosting pacakge:

1. Amount of Disk Space, usually measured in either MB (Megabytes) or GB (Gigabytes)
2. Bandwith – when a visitor comes to your site and views it they use some of the bandwidth you have been allocated to download the text information, images etc.
3. Email accounts, it is far more professional to have sales@mycompany.com rather than my_company_sales@hotmail.com!
4. The platform the server offering hosting on, either Linux or Windows. If the tool you want to use is written in PHP then you will want a Linux host, if it is written with asp/aspx then you will want a Windows host.

Often Linux hosts have Fantastico installed which helps beginners install tools to use on their website, such as WordPress, which we will look at next week! This saves you uploading your own choice of tool to your site and configuring the database!

A few exampls of hosting companies:

• Wildhosting
• 123-Reg *
• Fasthosts
• Rackspace
• GoDaddy

So there we are, hopefully you know enough now to start investigating which hosting package you want. Next week we can talk through some tools you can use to build your site!

*this link is an affiliate link, we have to run the site somehow if you want a link without the affiliate link then try this one: www.123-reg.co.uk. Please note, our affiliate status has no effect on us recommending 123-Reg.

Windows Live SkyDrive is an online storage device. You can use it for:

• Storing Private/Password Protected files,
• Storing files to share with friends all round the globe
• Sharing files with anyone and everyone.

You can upload and store pretty much any file, however you have a limit of of 5GB of storage space. You can have all your files organised and ordered into online folders. One slightly annoying thing is that you cannot upload entire folders at one time from your PC to SkyDrive, you can only upload 5 individual files at one time.

It’s up to you how you use it!  Some ideas we came up with were:

• Sharing files when working as a group
• Backing up your important files!
• Securely sharing photos with family and loved ones throughout the world!

To be able to use this tool you need to have a Windows Live ID. If you don’t just sign up for one, its free!

Last week AVG released the Free version of their new award winning Virus Protection software. It is still an entry level protection package and their full Internet Security software still offers much more protection but for those home users who really can’t afford it then this is the next best thing!

Along with the Anti-Virus module, this version of AVG Free includes AVG Spyware protection and AVG’s new ‘Safe Search’ feature to help protect you online.

Compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista. Download it now for Free!

Microsoft released last month Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista. Service Packs released for Windows are basically/usually a combined patch of many previously released critical patches along with some new patches and sometimes some software updates.

The thing to remember is that although updates to your system are there to improve security and stability, things can go wrong, so it is important that you do the update at a time when you can leave the machine to run the update without needing to interrupt it. Also make sure you have got a backup of all your files before proceeding with the update.

To initiate the update you can either download the whole SP1 from microsoft.com, or if you go to the Start Orb, All Programs and Windows Update, it should be there ready for you to run. If not choose “check for updates” on the left hand side.

The advantage with the latter method of running the update is that Windows Update checks your system to see what parts of the service pack are needed. Rather than downloading the whole 400mb or more! Obviously if you are wanting to install the patch on a number of machines, or on a machine with a slow connection then downloading the whole lot is a far better way of deploying SP1.

For me and the machines I have installed it on so far…a seamless update to a OS that in my opinion has been very stable in its first year of life!