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Marte Brengle

I began connecting online in 1983 & have been connected ever since. I've done online tech support for Toshiba & repaired computers in a big box store.I manage the WUGNET group of tech forums on CompuServe and have published two novels (so far).
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Written by Marte Brengle

article Best free weather apps for Windows computers and devices

Best free weather apps for Windows computers and devices

Ever hear the old saying "Everyone complains about the weather but nobody does anything about it?" Today, although we still can't change the weather, we have many ways of checking the forecast so we can at least be prepared for what's coming. Every operating system offers a variety of weather apps to suit nearly anyone's needs. After checking out the offerings for Windows 8.1,
review Reviewing the Jawbone UP3 - Is it really the most advanced fitness tracker?

Reviewing the Jawbone UP3 - Is it really the most advanced fitness tracker?

Fitness bands are quite naturally popular these days. They offer people a lot of options for keeping track of what they're doing in the course of a day. From the simplest step-only pedometer to the most sophisticated track-everything wristbands, a fitness tracker can be a great addition to anyone's quest for better health. Jawbone offers several fitness trackers with varying features. I've been wearing
tutorial How To Get Help Using The Windows Help And Support Application

How To Get Help Using The Windows Help And Support Application

Ever since the DOS days, Microsoft has included Help in all its software. In the olden days, Help could often be particularly unhelpful. In recent years, however, the help included in Windows is much more versatile, and it's now called Help and Support. Let's discover how it works, how to make it even better, and use it to get information on how to work
tutorial Did Add or Remove Programs Disappear? Where to Find It?

Did Add or Remove Programs Disappear? Where to Find It?

As Microsoft continues to make changes and improvements to its operating systems, users have to get used to new ways of doing the same old things. Starting with Windows Vista, the familiar Add or Remove Programs from previous versions appeared to vanish. It wasn't really gone, of course, but Microsoft gave it a brand new name. Let's take a look at Windows 7 and
tutorial How to Pin & Display Modern Windows 8.1 Apps on the Taskbar

How to Pin & Display Modern Windows 8.1 Apps on the Taskbar

One criticism about Windows 8 was that you couldn't easily access Windows Store apps from the Desktop. They were hidden, running in a different environment and switching between them and desktop programs was harder than it should have been. Windows 8.1 fixes this problem by allowing users to pin Windows Store apps to the taskbar and to set the taskbar so that it displays
review Book Review - Windows 8.1 Step By Step, by Ciprian Rusen & Joli Ballew

Book Review - Windows 8.1 Step By Step, by Ciprian Rusen & Joli Ballew

When I reviewed the first edition of this book - Windows 8 Step By Step - I said that it was "the kind of book to keep handy by your computer for reference, because it will give you confidence that you can do everything right. It's a winner!" Other sites, including Amazon, where reviewers are notoriously cranky, have given it 5-star and 4-star ratings
review Reviewing the Microsoft Wedge Mobile Keyboard

Reviewing the Microsoft Wedge Mobile Keyboard

Nowadays, tablets are becoming more and more popular, and rightly so. They're versatile, and most are a lot more easily portable than even a netbook. However, typing on a tablet screen is not something that comes naturally to many people, and even the widest tablets have only so much screen real estate on which to display the keyboard. Only people with small hands have
review Book Review - Microsoft Office Professional 2013 Step By Step

Book Review - Microsoft Office Professional 2013 Step By Step

Years ago, when I bought Microsoft Word for DOS 5.0, it came with three manuals in the box: One to explain the program, one to walk the user through creating printer drivers, and one for the built-in programming language. And some people think that those old DOS programs weren't sophisticated. :) Now, of course, there is the Microsoft Office suite of programs, all of
review Reviewing the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000

Reviewing the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000

As I've mentioned before (bet I've put you to sleep with it, too) :) I love Microsoft Natural ergonomic keyboards. As someone who types both fast and frequently, having an ergonomic keyboard has made a major difference for me over the years. They do take some getting used to, and after you get used to it, typing on a straight keyboard can feel somewhat
tutorial 4+ Free Tools for Making Remote Connections from Macs to Windows PCs

4+ Free Tools for Making Remote Connections from Macs to Windows PCs

When I was asked to update our 2010 article about connecting remotely to a PC from a Mac, I thought it would be a fairly simple task. However, since that article was written, Microsoft has dropped support for their Remote Desktop Connection software for Macs. While there are anecdotal reports of it working on OS X Lion, it definitely will not work on OS
review The Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse Review - Is it Worth Buying?

The Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse Review - Is it Worth Buying?

I've never been a fan of trackpads. I wanted to find a good mouse to attach to my netbook so I could turn off the trackpad and type in peace. I've been experimenting with Microsoft mice (is the plural of a computer mouse "mice" or "mouses" or what?) and this is the first of a series of articles about the quest for the perfect
review Book Review - The How-To Geek Guide to Windows 8

Book Review - The How-To Geek Guide to Windows 8

I have been a fan of the How-To Geek website for a long time. They've got a great mix of interesting articles, created by some of the liveliest and best-informed writers on the Internet (next to the crew from 7 Tutorials, of course). So it was only natural that I had high expectations for The How-To Geek Guide to Windows 8. Did the book
review Book Review - Windows 8 Step By Step, by Ciprian Rusen & Joli Ballew

Book Review - Windows 8 Step By Step, by Ciprian Rusen & Joli Ballew

Windows 8 is now on sale, and the interface is something radically different from any previous version. There are features that are entirely new, features that work differently from their previous incarnations and features that are pretty much the same. What's the best way to hit the ground running with Windows 8? Windows 8 Step By Step is part of a series that has
tutorial How to Burn Labels on the Back of your DVDs with LabelFlash

How to Burn Labels on the Back of your DVDs with LabelFlash

In our previous disc-labeling tutorial, Ciprian mentioned the two types of label-burning technologies: LightScribe and LabelFlash. He covered only LightScribe as such drives are much more widely available. I happen to have a LabelFlash drive and I was able to use this technology a couple of times. Are there major differences between the two types of disc labelers? Is burning labels easier with one
review Book Review - Network Your Computers & Devices, Step By Step

Book Review - Network Your Computers & Devices, Step By Step

There's an old joke that goes: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. For many people, setting up a home network is truly the elephant in the room. It's nowhere near as difficult as it used to be, when you had to buy extra software and hardware and learn a lot of arcane new commands before you could attempt it