2009 has been the year of Google. That’s right, Google.com. They’ve not only increased their search market share, they basically own it. But, just as important, they’re constantly striving to be innovative and always coming up with new and great things. Case in point: Google Voice – remember that debacle when Apple refused to let this hugely popular app go on the iPhone? iPhone devotees actually quit their iPhones to stand up for Google!

This morning, Google announced Google Dashboard. The dashboard offers a simplistic view of everything data wise that you have stored with Google and all its products. Their goal – transparency and trust between them and you.

Here’s what they wrote, regarding this initiative: “Over the past 11 years, Google has focused on building innovative products for our users. Today, with hundreds of millions of people using those products around the world, we are very aware of the trust that you have placed in us, and our responsibility to protect your privacy and data. In the past, we’ve taken numerous steps in this area, investing in educating our users… Transparency, choice and control have become a key part of Google’s philosophy, and today, we’re happy to announce that we’re doing even more.”

Google Dashboard summarizes data for each Google product you use and also provides you control to all of your personal settings within Google’s products that you’ve subscribed. What more of an explanation? Check out this great video from Google that describes it:

AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) allows its users to exchange messages with other people who are online at the same time. Since this happens in real time, it is often quicker and more convenient than using email. It is a very popular messaging application and is widely used by members of the AOL community.

Why You Might Want to Uninstall AIM

Although AOL Instant Messenger is in common use, there are alternatives about, such as MSN Messenger. You may, therefore, want to stop using AIM, may be having problems with it or want to upgrade to a new version.

There have in the past been security issues with AIM that have caused people to uninstall it. These reported weaknesses have allowed worms and other malware to run and these have infected the user’s PC. All that was required for hackers to gain access was for the user to be logged on and accepting messages, which, given the nature of the application, they usually were. Patches and fixes have been developed to overcome these problems but doubts have remained and caused users to uninstall AIM and use other messaging applications instead.

How to Uninstall AIM

The normal way to uninstall AIM is the conventional manner using the AIM uninstaller. To do this, at the Control Panel, select Programs and Features or Add or Remove Programs (depending on your operating system version). You will see a list of programs that are currently installed on your PC. Find and select the AOL Uninstaller and click the Change/Remove or Uninstall button. Tick the AIM box and choose to uninstall. This should eventually confirm that AIM has been successfully removed. Restart your PC if prompted to do so.

One problem with the standard uninstaller, and not just for AIM, is that it doesn’t always fully uninstall. It may leave some system files and not clear all the registry entries. An alternative method may be to use a third party uninstaller that may do a more complete job. However, be sure to check the reviews before you use one since some are better than others.

To ensure a complete removal of AIM, you can remove any remaining files and registry entries manually. However, always create a system restore point before you start so that, if necessary, you can get back to a working version.

To clear any remaining AIM files and folders, open the Windows Explorer and check for the following folders and files (assuming they have been installed to the default locations):

C:WindowsStart MenuProgramsNetscape CommunicatorAOL Instant Messenger (TM).link

C:Program FilesNetscapeUsersDefaultLaunch.aim

C:Program FilesNetscapeCommunicatorProgram

If the files and folders are still there, delete them.

To remove any remaining entries, select Run at the Start menu and type ‘regedit’ then click OK. In general, the entries you want to delete have HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE keys and will contain aim within their entry.

If you are wary of using the Registry Editor, as many people understandably are, you may want to use a professional registry cleaner. This should remove non-required entries automatically but, again, check the reviews first and only use a highly rated application.

With Windows 7 now on the market, a system that promises to make up for Vista’s shortcomings, many users are interested in making the upgrade and finally moving on from XP. Unfortunately, you can’t upgrade directly from XP to Windows 7 as you must perform a clean install. Don’t worry, we will show you how to get Windows 7 on your existing PC while keeping your old files and programs intact.

Upgrading to Windows 7 Preparation Tips

Before you get started, it is highly recommended to follow these four tips:

1. Download and run the free Windows Upgrade Adviser. This tool will let you know if your existing PC is compatible with Windows 7.
2. Refer to the Windows 7 Compatibility Centre. Here you can find out if any of your applications or drivers need to be updated to function properly on Windows 7.
3. Run the Windows Easy Transfer Wizard. This tool will help you backup your files and settings to an external storage medium. It can be started from your Windows XP CD-ROM or downloaded from Microsoft.
4. Backup your hard drive. Just in case something goes wrong with the upgrade, you can at least restore your existing data.

After following these tips, the first thing you should do is launch the Transfer Wizard, ensuring that your storage medium is connected.

Windows 7 Upgrade Steps

• Insert the Windows 7 disc and wait for it to boot up.
• Verify that your computer is compatible and click “Install now”.
• Next, you will be asked if you want to check online for updates. Choose “Yes” if you want the latest features and critical updates for your new operating system.
• Read over the End-User License Agreement and click to agree.
• Select the drive or partition you want to install Windows 7 on.

From here, a warning box will display alerting you that you will lose Windows XP and your existing files will be saved in the “Windows.old” folder. The installation process will then proceed. Your PC will restart several times and the Wizard will run in the Windows 7 environment. You can now configure your new OS by setting up passwords, the time and date, security features and so forth.

Restoring Your ‘Old Stuff’ in Windows 7

After following the steps above, you can then transfer the data from XP. While this can be performed manually, you can avoid this entirely as you have the Easy Transfer Wizard at your disposal. Again ensuring that your external storage medium is attached, click the “Start” button and select “My Computer”. Next, find the external medium you stored the transferred data on. Find the file that contains all your data and double-click it. You have the option to choose which accounts you want to transfer and the Wizard will handle the rest. If this process doesn’t work, don’t worry because your data is located in the “Windows.old” folder. In a worst case scenario, you will simply have to take the manual route.

Good luck!

Click here to view the embedded video.

Microsoft has just released a free antivirus program called Microsoft Security Essentials to compliments its set of security tools for the desktop PC. This free antivirus program is a good alternative to other free antivirus program in the market such as AVG, ZoneAlarm, and Avast!. This video tutorials helps users on where to find the downloadable installer, how to install / update the program, and to configure it once installed on your PC.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Yahoo Messenger (YM) is a good Instant Messaging software for chatting, creating voice and video conferencing to keep in touch with family and friends. YM is also a great alternative to other chat programs like Skype, Windows Live Messenger, or Google Talk. This video assists you where to download the installer, how to install it, creating an account to login into, and how to use it.

The reason many people have never migrated from Windows XP to Windows Vista is that Vista very quickly got a name of being slow and having a lot of (initial) problems. Luckily Vista has become much more stable by now with SP1 and SP2 addressing many of the earlier problems. But on the performance aspect, Vista can certainly not compete with Windows XP.

Vista Performance Improvements

One of the reasons that Vista is slow is because there are many services running by default. Although this helps in helping Vista run in different configurations and with various hardware devices, it also affects the resource utilization.

So if you did switch to Vista, or have a computer that came preinstalled with Vista, you might be interested in improving the Vista performance a bit. Stopping some of the default Vista services is one option. A nice little program to help you with this is Vista Services Optimizer. You can download Vista Services Optimizer from the program’s website. It is only a 3 MB download file.

Once you have downloaded the installer, double-click it to execute it. The installation wizard will help you install the program.

We used the Typical installation option.

Double-click the new desktop icon for the program to start Vista Services Optimizer.

The user interface might look a little overwhelming, but there are options for both beginner and advanced computer users. If you are a gamer, you would want to try the Gaming Mode, where many of the not needed services are turned off temporarily. This will help improve the gaming performance, and this mode is really more intended as a temporary services configuration.

If you are not very knowledgeable about Vista services, you can use the Automatic TuneUp.

In the User Profile window that comes up, you can specify what you do and do not use in plain English. No need to know technical terms, most questions can be understood by all computer users. And in case you do not know, select the Maybe option.

After clicking the OK button, you still need to click the Optimize button in the main window to active the service configuration changes. The program will then make the necessary changes to your system configuration.

When the changes have been made, the Please Wait… dialog disappears, there is no “complete” message.

You need to restart the computer to let the changes take effect.

The Manual TuneUp option allows you a more detailed control on the individual services that are running in Vista. Each can be enabled or disabled separately.

A word of care regarding the use of the program, consider making a system restore point before you start making any changes to the Vista services, so you can always revert back to your initial configuration. The program makes services snapshots with every change that can be restored as well, but it is better to have an extra recovery option just in case.

Also keep in mind that you can run the program as often as you want, so try making small changes to see if everything is still working as you expect. It is easy to turn a service back on, and additional services off.

More Vista Performance Tips

Of course many of the common Windows performance improvements can be used across different versions of Windows. Regularly running a registry cleaner can help in Vista as it can in XP. Making sure that you run updated Vista drivers for your system hardware is also important for maximum performance. Especially the audio and video drivers are important for smooth computing!

For years, run time errors have been giving PC users everywhere the blues. These errors go hand in hand with the Windows operating system and show up at the most untimely moments. Runtime error 5 is one of the most common, an error that can actually point to various issues. Although many users panic when receiving an error message, such problems may often be solved with relative ease. In this article we will go over the cause of this nuisance and discuss several ways to resolve this runtime error.

What is Runtime Error 5?

Runtime error 5 typically gives you a message that reads: Invalid procedure call or argument. On a computer running Windows 95, this problem is often linked to the Quality Analyst function within the operating system. In most cases, the function is either lost or not mapped to a particular drive. When this is the case, Windows cannot locate and load the function, thus resulting in a run time error.

Runtime error 5 may also rear its ugly head when trying to load Internet Explorer, giving you the same error message as above. Other common causes are missing or corrupt system files and hung application processes running in the background. To address the latter, press CTRL+ALT+ DEL to launch the Task Manager. If you notice any applications with a “Not Responding” status, end the task and see if that fixes your run time error. If it does not, runtime error 5 is probably originating from within the registry.

Addressing Runtime Error 5 from the Registry

The registry is a vital component of the Windows operating system. It acts as a database and repository for storing critical system files your software applications require to load properly.

Often, these files are overwritten by program installations and they may also become corrupt from bad or failed installations. When this occurs, annoyances such as runtime error 5 are bound to make their presence known. Although run time errors are mainly small problems, they can lead to bigger issues if not addressed in a timely fashion. Over time, your system may respond sluggishly while your applications refuse to load. These are signs that your PC is in need of a serious tune-up.

Fixing runtime error 5 is as simple as installing a registry cleaner on your computer. This type of software will scan the Windows registry and sweep out the file remnants stirring up all the trouble. This prevents you from having to tinker around in the registry and spares you the cost of paying for an expensive technician. Most importantly, it will get rid of runtime error 5 and allow you to work without interruption.

Conclusion

Registry cleaners are widely available online. The key is finding one that is both effective and easy to use. Before downloading any software, read several reviews to find out what experts and users are saying about a particular product. By doing so, you can better assure yourself of getting a quality program that clears up the run time errors and gets your computer running like new once again.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This video describes the procedures on how to download and install Internet Explorer 8 in your computer.

Click here to view the embedded video.

This tutorial shows how to use CDs or DVDs to move files and folders from one computer to another via the Windows Easy Transfer program.

After much speculation, Twitter has announced partnerships with both Bing and Google and has given them both full access to its full feed of public tweets. This is huge for search as it will literally open the floodgates for real-time, recent search items that Bing and Google desperately need. It’s like tweets are gold.

Let me explain: Twitter is notorious for breaking news. Why? Because millions of people are on Twitter tweeting about their lives and live events – thus making it the “CNN” of the internet for news and breaking events. Google and Bing don’t have access to the live “pulse” and therefore have to wait for blogs, websites and other avenues to post their stories and then that takes hours for Google and Bing (or any other search engine) to index them and show up in a search result.