Ask Mr. Modem
Q. I use Facebook in a browser on my Android phone. I don’t understand why, if I can easily use it in a browser, do I need to install the Facebook app?
A. Excellent question! You certainly can continue to use Facebook as you are doing and it will continue to work pretty much as it normally does. But some things won’t work. Anything that requires Flash, for example, is not supported in an Android browser. If it requires Flash to run, most developers have created an app to make it work.
So do you have to use the Facebook app? No, but keep in mind that not all features will work in a browser version. The app version is specifically designed to work on your device.
Q. I am using Windows 7 and Vista and I would like to know where the Scan Disk and the Defragment options are.
A. The location of these features is the same in both Vista and Windows 7: Click Start > Computer, then right‑click the drive you want to check and select Properties. Click the Tools tab, then the Check Now button which appears under Error Checking. That will bring up the Check Disk window where you can then select whatever options you want to use.
Q. I use the Yahoo! Address Book. When I click the Contacts tab, I can view all my contacts, but I can’t find how to get into my group categories to edit them. The only choices are Add Contact, Add Category and Tools, but nothing about editing. Any suggestions?
A. To edit contact information in your address book, click to select a contact, then click the Edit link to the right of the contact you want to change. Make the necessary changes and click the Save button.
Q. How do you change the default font in Word 2007?
A. Simply open a new Word document. If you are already in Word, click the Microsoft Office Button at the top left of the screen, go to the New Document pane, click New, then Blank Document.
Click Font in the Font group and choose the font style and point size that you want to use as your default. Click Default and a dialog box will open and ask if you want to make the change to all new documents based on the Normal template, so click OK.
Q. I have 254 addresses in my Gmail contacts list. How can I transfer these into six established groups without the painful process of copying each address onto paper and then retyping them into their respective areas? Thank you for your help.
A. Display your Contacts in Gmail, then click to select individual contacts. With the list of Groups displayed, select the Group you want to move the selected contacts into. They will pop right into the selected group.
If you need additional assistance, go into your Gmail Help by clicking the little menu icon to the far right of the Address field, select Help. Search for “Groups” and you will find detailed instructions and group information.
Mr. Modem’s DME (Don’t Miss ’Em) sites of the month
Death To Stock Photos
If you would like to receive free, high‑quality photos in your Inbox every month, have I got a site for you! Register and not only will you get images sent directly to your Inbox each month, but you will also receive a free pack of photos for signing up. Visit the website to view a healthy sampling of quality images. The sign‑up field is prominently displayed, or you can scroll down the page to learn more, view photos and check out the licensing terms. http://deathtothestockphoto.com
ePinions
Before you buy a product, look it up on ePinions, a website that compiles the opinions and experiences (good, bad, or “Are you kidding me”) of real‑life consumers about all sorts of products and services. It’s also excellent for comparison shopping. ePinions covers millions of products and services in a variety of categories. In addition to detailed product reviews, you can read buying guides (“What should I consider when buying a pit bull?”) and how‑to guides (“How do I perform my own appendectomy?”). Once ePinions helps you decide what you want to purchase, you will find pricing and availability options through a list of rated online merchants. Another excellent site featuring “real people, real reviews” is Yelp.com. http://www.epinions.com
NationMaster
If you like useless but interesting, facts and numbers, then you will probably enjoy this site which hosts statistics from the CIA World Factbook (http://tinyurl.com/2h2e3k). Type a topic into the text box at the top of the page and click Search to see a list of statistics, encyclopedia entries and more. The default font is fairly small, so with most browsers, press CTRL and the + sign to increase font size, or View > Zoom. http://www.nationmaster.com
