Your Computer Minute with Peter Kay

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If you’re a surfer and have a high speed cable modem, I hope you’re gonna also tell me that you’ve got a collection of surf report Web sites too. Now you can stay mild with your run-of-the-mill surf report to find out what’s going on at the bowl or at Lani’s, or you can get medieval on it and track the storms via satellites and real-time video on all the hot spots. You don’t have to wait for the weatherman to tell you the surf report because now You are the weatherman tracking the latest swell. And of course if you’re a real surf nut you’ll start getting a feel for how different storms affect your special, secret spot. All you gotta do now is build up your favorite collection of links, and check ‘em out with your cable modem when you’re ready to get wet. I caught a bunch of great secret swells over the past year because I tracked the storms and knew when to get out there. Gotta tell ya, beating the crowds was just the bomb.

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By now, I’m sure that everyone has done a mailmerge at least once. A mailmerge is when you write one document and then merge it with a list of addresses to print personalized labels and letters. Back in the primitive 20th century we used to actually mail these letters using paper, stamps, and envelopes. Did you know that in today’s 21st century we can use software like Microsoft Word to do a email merge? It works just like the old way, except instead of printing paper, it will email your document to lists of people. Hit the F1 key in Word and search for email merge. Writeup your letter, gather your list of email addresses and by pressing one button you’ll never lick another stamp again. If you’re careful not to spam people, you’ll be email merging like a pro.

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Psst..I just got the inside scoop from our sponsors that you’ll be able to view trailers and previews of Movies on Demand on your Road Runner page. Word is that you’ll be able to go to www.rr.com and click on buttons to preview what’s available on demand.

I think this is a cool feature. Lots of times when I’m having lunch at my desk I like to see a short movie or two. And if I can click through and watch the previews, well, that gives me something entertaining to watch and I know that I can go back home at night and actually buy the movie.

This article in the Advertiser was brought to my attention and if you’re a Verizon user you may want to look into it a little closer:

Subscribers of Verizon Hawaii’s digital high-speed Internet service will lose free firewall and virus protection services on May 15, unless they register for the service.

MSN Premium, which now is provided free of charge, will remain free for another six months to those who register, after which regular monthly charges of $9.95 a month will apply.

Well, I guess we’ll all find out how valuable MSN Premium was. My suggestion is that if you weren’t taking advantage of the free firewall and virus services, don’t bother. And even if you were, I’d consider buying something like Norton Internet Security from Symantec which is showing on their online store for $49.95. Subsequent years will cost you about $20 (based on the rebate they’re giving this year for existing users)

Disclosure: Your Computer Minute is sponsored by Road Runner so you’ll have to excuse the shameless (but true) plug that follows.

Of course the folks over at Road Runner are ready to take you under their wing and give you free firewall and anti-spam software so if you’re mad-as-hell this might be a good time to switch.

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Do you go online at home to do office work? I’ll bet you just love that high speed access from home that lets you remotely log into your office network, dontcha? What? You mean you don’t have high speed access from home? You’re kidding me, right? You mean to tell me that you have to work from home to begin with, which isn’t exactly my idea of having fun, but you’re using slow speed dialup, which makes you work even longer hours, as well? Come on man, get with the program! Stop wasting your life away working at home when you could be breezing by with a high speed connection. Call your favorite high speed access provider now and get online like the rest of us! I’ll guarantee you’ll thank me forever that you did, and you’ll never want to slowmo dialup your access again.

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