Computers and hardware

How to add emoji icons to file names in OS X

Emoticons have become some of the most commonly used symbols when communicating using computers and cell phones. Starting with combinations of text characters, smilies evolved into emoticons with the development of Unicode fonts that include complementary images for common smilies. For instance, applications like iMessage and iChat in OS X will make use of emoticons, automatically substituting an image of a smiling face from an emoticon font if you enter the ":)" text for a standard smile.

If there are other emoticons you often use, then you can use the system preferences to set up your own global text … Read more

How to use the Microsoft Surface touch screen and keyboard

The Microsoft Surface is more computer than tablet. If you favor keyboards, that's a good thing. But the Surface has a lot to offer touch screen fans as well.

Like a tablet, you tap and slide your fingers on the Surface touch screen to open apps and access settings. Like a PC, you can enter keystroke shortcuts on the Surface Touch Cover and Type Cover keyboards to reach those same programs and system options.

Get the best of both the tablet and computer worlds by using these handy screen gestures and keystroke combinations for the Surface. (Note that the … Read more

How to add administrative tools to the Windows 8 Start screen

In Windows 7, power users could display administrative tools on the Start menu. Now that Windows 8 has done away with the Start menu, you might be wondering where they went. If you happen to know the name of the tool you want to use, you can just search for it from the Start screen. If, however, you prefer to see them as tiles, here's how to get them onto your Start screen:

1. Hit the Win+I shortcut to bring up the Settings charm, then select Tiles.

2. Move the slider under "Show administrative tools" to … Read more

How to check the battery condition in OS X

If you have a laptop system, then it helps to ensure the battery is working properly, since as with any system, over time and use the battery will begin to lose its charging capabilities and give you less and less running time. To compensate for the gradual loss in charging capability, it may help to regularly calibrate your battery to ensure its charge is accurately reported to the system, but this will not give you any indication of the battery's overall health.

To check the condition of your battery, first go to the Energy Saver system preferences and check … Read more

How to change the OS X system language

Like most operating systems, OS X supports multiple languages, with full character sets and fonts for practically every language. In addition, there is full localization for a number of these languages, so you can have the system display menus and other system features in the language of your choice.

To do this, open the Language & Text system preferences, and in the Language tab drag the language you would prefer to the top of the list. After a restart, your system and applications will use that language, if they include localization support for it. Be aware of that qualifier because … Read more

How to keep your devices charged up during a blackout

The night Hurricane Sandy hit New York, I had no reason to believe the power in Manhattan would go out. After all, Hurricane Irene the year before had left the lights on here, even if big swaths of NYC's outer boroughs and suburbs lost power.

But, almost as an afterthought, I pulled out a bulky Dell laptop I had sitting around (just visible in the bottom left of the photo above) and plugged it in to charge its internal battery, just to have as many charged-up devices on hand as possible. Of course, the lights did go out in … Read more

Add three helpful Gmail mouse gestures with Chrome extension

Aside from cut, copy, and paste, I'm not much of a keyboard shortcut guy. I've tried at various points over the years to remember key combos that promise to make me more effective during the workday, but they rarely stick. I tend to rely on a touch pad or mouse as my navigation guide, which is why I was excited to discover a Chrome extension aptly titled, Gmail Mouse Gestures.

With only three gestures, this Chrome extension will not overwhelm you with its offerings. Though limited, the gestures provide shortcuts for three common functions when reading an e-mail: … Read more

Getting started with Xbox Music on Windows 8

Xbox Music was initially announced in June of this year and released to Xbox 360 users first. When Windows 8 reached general availability on October 26, Xbox Music became available to all Windows 8 users as well. Like Spotify, Microsoft's new music service can stream full songs on demand, as well as play taste-based radio like Pandora. Here's what you need to know to get started with Xbox Music on Windows 8:

To begin using Xbox Music, click on the orange Music tile on your Windows 8 Start screen and sign in with a Microsoft account.

Streaming songs … Read more

Three methods for sharing an iCloud calendar

Missing an appointment or an event because you forgot to add it to your calendar is never a fun experience. Although, it does make for a good excuse. If you and your significant other (or coworkers, for that matter) use an iOS device, a Mac, iCloud, or any combination of the sort you can easily share an iCloud calendar, making sure you are both on the same schedule.

iOS Sending an invite to share an iCloud calendar using your iOS device takes just a few taps. Share an existing calendar, or create a new one, and share it by entering … Read more

How to share an iCloud calendar using your Mac

We've already covered how to share an iCloud calendar using your iOS device or from iCloud.com, now we'll show you how to share from your Mac. You'll need to be running OS X 10.7 or higher in order to share an iCloud calendar from your Mac.

Launch Calendar on your Mac. If the list of your calendars isn't visible, click on the Calendars button in the top-right corner. If you hover your mouse of the name of a calendar, you'll see the share icon appear next to it. Clicking on the icon will … Read more