Category: How-Tos

We've published a lot of posts about features in Google Chrome and Chromium which require you to add command line switches to activate them. So how exactly do you do that? Watch the video above, and refer to the notes below -- it's a simple process! Locate your Chrome or Chromium shortcut. There should be one on your desktop and one in your start menu - either one will work! Click the ...

tweetmeme_url = 'http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2010/01/03/stupid-windows-7-trick-unlock-the-secret-god-mode-folder/'; tweetmeme_source = 'downloadsquad'; So, what exactly is God Mode in Windows 7? Well, for starters, it's not really a mode. And it's nothing you need to be a deity to pull off, either. Rather, it's a folder packed with shortcuts to just about every settings change and ...

PowerPoint slideshows can be a good way to get ideas across -- when used correctly. Sometimes, they can be boring and confusing, even doing more harm than good. Here are a few tools and techniques you can use to create engaging and effective presentations. 1. Use the Lessig Method All too often, PowerPoint presentations become bogged down in graphs, long quotes and giant chunks of text. My ...

Many of you probably received a shiny, new netbook, laptop, nettop, desktop, HTPC, or something else with a CPU in it running Windows for the holidays. One thing that has come to be synonymous with new PCs is dreadful preinstalled software (nerdy types call it crapware or bloat). For the most part, the programs OEMs pack onto their systems suck. They're marginally useful at best, and just eat ...

Been wanting to check out that Google Chrome OS developer build put together by Hexxeh, but don't have a spare netbook or laptop to run it on? Why not fire it up in Virtualbox instead? tweetmeme_url = 'http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2009/12/04/how-to-convert-hexxehs-chrome-os-build-image-to-a-virtualbox-v/'; tweetmeme_source = 'downloadsquad'; Sure, the original Chrome OS builds that were ...

A number of message boards around the net have been receiving comments from users upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7 who have been unable to complete the upgrade install. Once the installer hits 62% complete, it locks up. You can sit and wait as long as you want, but it's not going anywhere. The problem occurs when the Windows IPv6 helper service (which allows automatic IPv6 ...

I noticed this function a while ago when I upgraded to Photoshop CS4 -- I never dared use it, but I did notice it! Now there's a handy little video from Adobe that shows you exactly how to enable the free screen sharing available to you in their latest suite of tools. You're probably thinking: Neat! But what can I actually do with it? The first thing that comes to my mind is for businesses that ...

So you picked up a new Windows 7 laptop (or desktop) or you're planning on buying one in the very near future? If you took a look at display models in stores like Best Buy or Frye's, you no doubt noticed that new systems come with a lot of programs pre-installed. Lots of software is a good thing, right? Not always. Trouble is, what you get is often a) not really useful software or b) a ...

While most computer techs and savvy users usually advise against performing an upgrade from one Windows version to another (what's called an "in-place upgrade"). There's always the chance that your new OS could inherit some problems from the old, after all, and it could potentially cause issues with your current programs or hardware. Truth is, some users want to upgrade and Windows 7 handles the ...

For a while now, I've been hiding my desktop icons and using a taskbar toolbar instead. It's a lot tidier, and one somewhat useful benefit is having the recycle bin always close at hand -- without having to windows + D. The only downside to using the desktop as a taskbar toolbar is that the recycle bin won't move in front of Libraries or your user folder. If you want the bin in full view, you're ...

On today's This Week in Google, Gina Trapani presented a tip on how to synchronize your Google Calendar to iCal on a Mac. As it turns out, it is possible to subscribe to sub-calendars, but it's not immediately obvious how to do so. The same holds true on the iPhone. If you've attempted to synchronize your Google Calendar to your iPhone only to be disappointed that it only allows you to synchronize ...

Most users of Google Chrome enjoy its minimal interface. So why use a clunky toolbar to display your bookmarks full-time if you don't have to? Like many other excellent Chrome features, adding a miniscule bookmarks menu button is only a command line switch away! Just right click your Chrome shortcut and choose properties. In the target box, add a space and --bookmark-menu after chrome.exe. the ...

Moneyseize is a very straightforward single-screen platformer with charming 8-bit graphics and music. The goal in Moneyseize is to, well, seize all the money. You're in charge of the 'gentleman', and your job is to jump around in each level and collect all the gold coins. Your gentleman is attempting to build a skyscraper, and needs to collect 1000 coins to complete it. There are critters in most ...

A while back, Jason mentioned giving your Firefox performance a boost by limiting the length of time items are saved in history. At Mozilla Links, they've shared another handy tip from Mozilla developer Jeremy Orem. His advice: take a vacuum to your SQLite databases. Here's how to do it: Open the Firefox tools menu and click on error console. Paste the following command into the code ...

Plenty of people out there are still running the odd DOS application - many of them for business purposes. So what are you to do when that trusty old printer breaks down and you can't find a new one with a parallel port? Why not buy a fancy new USB-only printer and make use of a stupid Windows trick that's been around for a while? It's a fairly simple process. Step one is to install the ...