Chris Pirillo Archive
10 things I love about the iPhone 3GS
Another summer, another iPhone hardware update. This one's worth getting, too -- especially if you have an original iPhone or the iPhone 3G.
10 things I love about the iPhone 3GS
Another summer, another iPhone hardware update. This one's worth getting, too -- especially if you have an original iPhone or the iPhone 3G.
10 things to love about iPhone's OS 3.0
Last week, Apple released a free update for iPhone users, pushing them to the third iteration of their mobile operating system. (Yes, iPod Touch users are welcome to upgrade, too, at a very reasonable cost of $10.)
What's a netbook, and which one should I use?
I keep hearing about netbooks. What's a netbook? It just sounds like another fancy name for a laptop -- but I won't be fooled by nonsense! Please set me straight on this very important matter so that I can keep being the smart one among my peers. Thanks!
Top 10 Web tools for editing digital pictures
Digital cameras are now as common and affordable to the average family as the Polaroid of the '60s.
What's the best way to keep my calendar online?
Is it safe and secure to keep my calendar online? What's the difference between a Google calendar, an Exchange calendar, and an intranet calendar?
Grab a webcam and give lifecasting a try
When I first heard of Justin.tv, I was insanely jealous. The idea was so brain-dead simple that a lot of people -- including me -- wondered how we hadn't come up with it first.
Are e-books worth your time?
Like many geeks, I love gadgets and I love to read. Since I've found that my rate of giving away old books is slower than the rate at which I get new ones and my bookshelf is always at eyesore-full capacity, I've wondered if e-books are everything they're cracked up to be?
Why dirty up my hands with newsprint?
For grins, next time you're in the mood for a movie, go rent "The Paper" with Michael Keaton and Glenn Close. Released in 1994, it involves a day in the life of a New York City tabloid newspaper.
Is it really safe to download software?
When it comes to downloading software from the Internet, I'm always getting conflicting advice from my geeky friends. Knowing my technological ignorance, some tell me that I should never download anything from the Web (recommending only boxed software from the store). Others say some software's okay to download -- but I should be aware of the dangers. How am I supposed to know where to begin identifying the difference? I'm lost!
How do I retrieve a lost file?
Ack! I was modifying data in a very complex Excel spreadsheet for a good part of the day and now...I can't find it! I'm always very careful to press the "save" button every five minutes or so, but where did it go? It can't have just disappeared, right? Help!
The world's most poisonous phish
Remember how hard an honest mugger had to work for a living wage back during the pre-Internet holiday shopping season?
Should you heed all your software updates?
If my computer says it has a software update, should I install it?
Ten things (OK, 9) I love about telecommuting
With gas prices inching their way back up and traffic in most metropolitan areas bottlenecking along any rush-hour route, it's a wonder that the majority of the modern office workforce doesn't telecommute.
21st-century life's too short for dial-up
I recently had someone ask me how I could justify paying what, to her, seemed like an exorbitant amount of money for my broadband Internet connection.
Is a RAM enhancement really just a ReadyBoost away?
To paraphrase a complaint from the late James Doohan, my computer's giving me all she's got, but Vista's more than she can handle! My system should be able to deal with this version of Windows just fine, but it's just not happening. I'd add more RAM if it were possible, but my slots are all maxed out. I've tried various freeware that promises to keep my RAM working at maximum efficiency, but it's just not enough. Is there anything out there for enhancing the memory I do have until I can get a newer, faster machine?
Can new software make my PC run faster?
I've had my computer for about two years and I've noticed its performance has gotten...clunky. Programs take longer to open than they used to, drop-down menus aren't fluid, finding files seems to take forever, and even though I've got a broadband Internet connection, "surfing" the Web feels more like wading in tide pools. I've seen a number of ads hawking software designed to miraculously speed up my PC, but what's the real scoop? Can such software make a difference, or are these just empty promises?
How to squeeze the most from your computer
No budget for a new computer in this recession? It's a common malady these days.
How do I secure my home Wi-fi network?
I use a wireless router at home, but it seems that other people on my block do as well! I can see their access point IDs show up in my list. Can they see mine, too -- and is this a problem? What are some things I need to keep in mind when it comes to wireless home network security?
What is this VoIP I keep hearing about?
What is this VoIP I keep hearing about? Is it some government agency like the FBI? The CIA? The IRS? Should I be worried?
10 tips on being a good Twitterer
This Twitter thing has been coming on like gangbusters. The messaging site has been around for a couple of years, but its popularity seems to have exploded just recently.
What should I get for my family's PS3?
I already made the initial investment for the system about a year ago. I'm not super savvy about video-game consoles, but I want to maximize its usefulness.
Is Microsoft Office worth its weight in tuition?
My daughter is starting college, and I was wondering if we should spend money upgrading to the latest version of Microsoft Office for her notebook computer?
Monitoring your kids on that pesky Internet
The Internet, just like the real world, is filled with its upstanding citizens, lowlife greaseballs, civic centers, red light districts, libraries, dirty bookstores, video arcades, casinos, museums and bootleg kiosks.
Spare the spam, spoil the scam
Poor Hormel and its signature canned, processed, porcine-derived product, SPAM. First came Monty Python mockery and now, the dubious honor of becoming a household name for unsolicited junk email.
Digital-music buyer, don't be a fool
Back in my day (a day not long ago, as it turns out), you could go down to the local record shop and plunk down your paper-route money for little disks of plastic that were embedded with the latest sounds of your favorite musical performers.
