- Martin T. from New Orleans East asks: “What is your opinion of Bing, Microsoft’s new search engine?”
Answered June 3rd: Microsoft calls its new search tool a "Decision Engine," because it helps you make faster, more informed decisions. The site is reportedly designed to help people avoid the "information overload" that characterizes today’s Web searches. Bing is supposedly optimized to find relevant information needed to accomplish tasks and make smart decisions. Initial impressions have been favorable, and Microsoft recently launched a $100 million ad campaign to convince you to try it. Sources say the name, Bing, was chosen for two reasons. First, it can be used as a verb. Microsoft reportedly hopes you'll start "Binging" people, instead of "Googling" them. Second, Bing is the "sound of found," an audible alert indicating a search engine has produced a "hit." Bing makes no such sound, but it's a clever concept.
- Rosita R. from Tickfaw, La. writes: “When you delete files from the Windows Recycle Bin, is there any way to recover them?”
Answered June 3rd: Recuva (pronounced "recover") is a freeware Windows utility from Piriform, who also provides CCleaner, one of my favorite freeware tools. Recuva restores files that have been accidentally deleted, including files emptied from the Recycle Bin and files that have been accidentally erased from digital camera memory cards or MP3 players. The company claims it will even recover files lost in computer crashes or caused by virus attacks. You can download the utility from Recuva.com. Many users also want to make sure that deleted files stay deleted, because of their sensitive nature. Recent releases of CCleaner have added an option to wipe hard disk free space so deleted files can’t be recovered. Free CCleaner is downloadable from CCleaner.com.
- Libby M. from New Orleans writes: "I have an expired $40 coupon for a DTV converter box. Can I replace it, and if so, how?
Answered May 27th: The Coupon-Eligible Converter Box (CECB) Program is now accepting applications from consumers whose coupons expired without being redeemed. The program limits each U.S. household to a total of two redeemed coupons, each worth $40 towards the purchase of an approved DTV converter box. If you have coupons that expired before you could redeem them, you may request replacements. It doesn't matter if you threw the expired coupons away, but if you already redeemed both of your coupons, you will not be approved for more. Replacements will only be issued upon request. If you want to apply, you can do so online at DTV2009.gov, by calling 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009), mailing an application to P.O. Box 2000, Portland, OR 97208, or by faxing it to 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632). Hearing-impaired callers can use 1-877-530-2634 (TTY).
- Stanley R. from Harvey asks: "Someone told me you don't need to de-frag your hard drive if you have Windows Vista. Is this true?"
Answered May 27th: It's important to defragment your hard disk in all versions of Windows. Microsoft, however, changed the disk defrag tool in Vista so that it runs automatically. By default, disk defragmentation is scheduled to occur every Wednesday at 1:00 a.m., which can be re-scheduled if your computer is usually powered off at that hour. Microsoft also eliminated the screen in previous versions that displayed the utility's progress. Sources say this is because the tool in Windows XP and earlier versions of Windows couldn't achieve 100% disk defragmentation. This alarmed some consumers, so Microsoft decided to "dumb down" the interface.
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