tips

5 fantastic Google Docs tips

In word processing, there are three beasts: Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, and Google Docs. Most users are likely tied to Word, but its offline, collaboration-free nature makes it look a little boring next to Google Docs.

Whether you use Docs as your primary word processor, as a place to keep your files in the cloud, or just as a notepad for your online finds, these tips will help you get the most out of Google Docs.

1. Easy uploading. To quickly upload files of almost any format to Google Docs, drag and drop files from your hard drive to the Docs home page. To upload an entire folder (like My Documents), go to Upload > Folder. Subfolders will also be added.

2. Better photo inserting. Easily insert a photo into your doc by dragging and dropping files from your hard drive into the doc. To wrap text around the photo (pictures are put in-line with text by default), click it and select "Fixed." If you plan to grab a photo from the Web, go to Insert > Image > Google Image Search. This tool is far better than searching, saving a photo to the desktop, and reuploading it to Google. … Read more

5 YouTube tips you should be using

With YouTube's ever-growing popularity and our increasing obsession with cute cat videos, it's no wonder the online video service surpassed 3 billion views a day this year. According to YouTube, every American watches nine videos a day, but it's very possible that most of them are missing out on these tips and hidden features:

1. Link to a specific point in the video. You can link your friends to a specific point in the video (say, 30 seconds in) using what YouTube calls "deep links." While the video is playing, right-click it at the point you want to share and select "Copy video URL at current time."

2. Discover new music. You can find YouTube's answer to Pandora at YouTube.com/Disco. Enter the name of an artist or song title and a playlist featuring songs similar to what you entered will be created and put on autoplay. There are also options to shuffle, repeat, and save the playlist. … Read more

Killer tips for mastering Google Chrome

It's been a long time since CNET's first collection of Google Chrome tips, so we've got a new batch of tricks to help you get the most out of Google's browser. We've split our advice this time around into three categories: using Incognito, powering up with the "about:" commands, and keeping your hands on the keyboard with a list of 30 hot keys. You can download Google Chrome for Windows, Mac, or Linux.

Tip one: Keep your browsing private with Incognito. Incognito mode is a private browsing mode that turns off the regular … Read more

How to send links from Android device to computer browser

Whether you're in transit, waiting in line at the DMV, or between appointments, mobile browsing can be a sanity saver. It's not all disposable entertainment, of course, as sometimes you stumble onto a page you want to investigate later on your laptop or desktop machine. It's not that hard to e-mail yourself a link and open it later, but there's a better way. Android2Cloud lets you send links directly to the Chrome browser running on a particular machine, saving you time and making you more likely to actually follow up. Here's how to get started:… Read more

iWeb quick tip: Offline editing and 'Under Construction' pages

For any Mac users who take advantage of iWeb for their Web site publishing needs, editing offline and keeping your Web site active online can be a bit tricky. A couple Apple Support Community members have combined to come up with some good practices of doing just that.

Support Communities user "mharts" writes:

"I would like to over-haul my website look on iWeb and put up "under construction". But I don't want to loose the photos and some of the writing I've done."

This is a common issue with iWeb users, and … Read more

Text search tool

Windows supports text files natively and also incorporates a search function, but it doesn't go out of its way to put the two together. MuseTips Text Filter is a compact, portable, and free tool that can quickly and thoroughly search text files. It searches as you type and displays matching terms in contrasting colors. It also offers autosuggestions, full support for regular expressions, multiple query modes, and extensive filtering.

At less than 500KB unzipped, Text Filter is certainly lightweight, and since it's fully portable, it runs from any location, including from a USB drive or other portable device. … Read more

Tips to maximize Chevy Volt fuel economy

Most Chevrolet Volt owners probably apply the same driving habits long practiced by hybrid owners, such as braking and accelerating gently, to conserve energy and maximize battery power. But they may not know that small, seemingly inconsequential choices, like how they choose to warm the Volt's interior on a chilly day, can also makes a difference in how far they can go on battery power alone.

Chevy Volt vehicle line director Tony Posawatz has lots of practice eeking the most out of his Volt's 16 kWh battery, and says that even during Michigan's cold winter months he'… Read more

Mac OS X trick: Change contextual menus on your Dock

Right-clicking (or Control + clicking) on a Dock icon will bring up a contextual menu with available options for that application or file. This trick will allow you to customize the language of that contextual menu, further personalizing your Mac experience.

For example, when you have Safari open, if you right-click on the Safari icon in your Dock, the contextual menu offers you the options of New Window, Options, Hide, Quit (as well as showing you the current page name). You can change Quit to anything you want, like say, "End" or "Close."

This trick, from mactipsandtricks.… Read more

How to get your digital camera ready for spring

Although hopefully your digital camera saw a lot of use over the winter, and not just for the holidays, most people take the bulk of their photos over the warmer months. So now that spring has begun, it's time to get your camera gear in order and clean the gum wrappers and ticket stubs out of your camera bag from last summer. As the weather warms up, here are some things you can do to get your digital camera ready for a summer of fabulous photos.

Clean it. Whether you have a dSLR, an ILC, or even an advanced compact, cleaning your camera regularly will help ensure better photos. It will also help keep it working its best. Have you ever seen someone wearing really dirty eyeglasses and wondered how they could see out of them? Your camera's lens, like a pair of eyeglasses, needs to be kept clean so it, too, can see clearly, something that often goes overlooked. You can remove the smudges and fingerprints from the lens surface using a lens-cleaning cloth. Owners of dSLRs and ILCs, which have removable lenses, will also want to make sure to clean the rear lens element, as dust and fingerprints can get find their way there when changing lenses. DSLR owners will also want to make sure they clean the optical viewfinder of their camera; using a cotton swab can be helpful for this.

Check batteries. No matter what kind of camera and accessories you have, spring is a good time to make sure all your batteries are in order. Standard AAs should be replaced for a fresh set, and rechargeable batteries should be checked to make sure they are holding a good charge. Lithium ion batteries, including the ones that charge in-camera, should be removed and given a quick visual inspection to make sure there is no damage and that the small gold contacts appear clean.… Read more

The 404 769: Where Jill has a microphone and you don't (podcast)

The 404 Podcast has a symbiotic relationship with "Aunt" Jill Schlesinger aka The Financial Decoder for CBS Moneywatch: she helps our listeners create a foundation for their financial future, and we answer her tech questions about her Twitter account and yesterday's Apple iPad 2 announcement.

And sometimes she brings us cookies...giant, half-pound cookies from Levain Bakery!

You'll have to hold your breath for the iPad 2 discussion, though, because first we want to tell you guys about Jill's new podcast on the radio, appropriately called Jill On Money!

Episode 1 is already posted on the Moneywatch.com Web site; it's an hour-and-a-half broadcast where Jill answers plenty of questions about paying off mortgages, rising gas prices, and tips on how to maintain a good credit score. Plus, a little Cheryl Dunn in the morning ain't hurting anyone.

If you have a financial question for Jill, make sure you give her a call at 855-411-JILL (855-411-5455) and she'll schedule time to ask it live on the show, or you can also send her an e-mail at askjill(at)moneywatch.com or tweet her.

With Jill getting more involved in the tech side of broadcasting, she asks us for advice on whether she should buy the new Apple iPad 2. The way we see it, her buying decision depends on what she'll ultimately do with the tablet.

Since she already has a MacBook, she can either dish out $350 on a refurbished iPad 1 or spend $150 more for the 16GB iPad 2. Tune in to hear our advice, and as usual, we don't all agree on one path to take.… Read more