Stories by Rick Broida

How to insert an image into a Gmail email

Want to send someone a photo, screenshot, or other image? If you're a Gmail user, there's only one option: attach the item(s) to the message. That's all well and good, but what if you want to embed an image in the body of the e-mail? Scan the toolbar...

Learn how to run programs from your flash drive

Reader Patricia has a question: "Why can't application software be put on USB drives instead of [hard] disks?"

Turn Amazon Cloud drive into desktop-accessible storage

As you may recall, Amazon recently unveiled its new Cloud Drive service, which provides 5GB of free online storage. (Elsewhere I explained how you could bump your limit to 20GB for under a buck.) The only downside? To access it, you have to use Amazo...

Add a spell-checker to Internet Explorer

Among the many reasons I'm partial to Firefox is that Mozilla's browser has long offered a built-in spell checker. (Not that I need it, of course -- we payd riters learnt gud speling in skool.)

Can your system handle Windows 7?

Much as everyone loves Microsoft's Windows 7, not everyone has made the move yet. Plenty of folks are clinging to Windows XP for dear life, while others just didn't see enough reason to upgrade from Vista. After all, it's not like Microsoft is giving...

Firefox 4 tip: Why your status bar keeps switching sides

I'm not sure if this is a bug or a "feature," but it's definitely annoying.

Firefox 4 tip: Keep tabs open between sessions

Yesterday I told you how to tweak Firefox 4 so it would allow incompatible add-ons to run. One of my primary motivations for doing so was the PermaTabs Mod add-on, which I use religiously to keep tabs open from one browsing session to the next. (Iron...

Firefox 4 tips: Bend the new browser to your will

Mozilla released Firefox 4 last week. I'm trying hard to like the new browser, but it keeps finding ways to annoy me. First, it moved the Reload button for no good reason (same for the Home button, but that's just as easily fixed). Second, it put the...

Firefox tips, plus a warning: Protect those passwords

It's been a while since I've covered tips for my favorite browser, Mozilla Firefox tips (read "Quick Tips for Speeding Up Mozilla Firefox" for my last installment). So this week I thought I'd toss you a couple tips for scrolling through long Web page...

Must-have tools and tricks

It's time for another grab bag of hassle killers. This week I tell you how to get a disposable e-mail address to use as a spam magnet, how to turn off Windows 7's automatic window resizing, and how to recover data from a crashed drive.

Get a quick and easy disposable e-mail address

Here's a common hassle: You sign up for some freebie, promotion, or service that requires your e-mail address--and suddenly your inbox is deluged with ads, notifications, and other spam.

Customize who can see your Facebook status updates

Facebook status updates don't have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. You can decide who gets to see a particular update -- or, if you prefer, who doesn't.

Prepare your PC for future data disasters

Reformatting and restoring a PC is not fun--in the way spending 2 hours in the dentist's chair is not fun. You have to back up all your data (and pray that you haven't forgotten anything), reformat the hard drive, install Windows, track down missing ...

Stop Facebook from cluttering your inbox

There's a fine line between awesome and annoying. Take Facebook: Most of the time, it's great, but a few things about the service drive me crazy.

Manage all your social networks under one roof

As you learned in last week's write-up of Meebo, the browser-based instant messaging service, I love apps that can live on the Web instead of having to clutter up my PC.