Above The Table

Have you ever created a table in MS Word at the beginning of the document only to find that it was a mistake? Since you began this document you've re-thought the layout and some text just has to go above that table.

But, of course, you're learning the hard way that MS Word isn't going to easily cooperate.

Every time you try to get to the top of the document, that is, above the table, you end up in the first cell or with an entire column highlighted.

No matter what you do you're stuck in that table!

You can get the text below the table, but there's just no getting above it!

Or is there?

Don't give up on that table just yet, and by all means don't delete it to start over!

Try this quick little trick to get to the top.

Use the key combination Ctrl + Home then (after releasing the keys) hit the Enter key.

Voila!

Are you a keyboard enthusiast who finds yourself constantly wishing you had a shortcut key combination for one thing or another? Maybe a keyboard combination for the "Save All" trick from Tuesday's newsletter?

If your answer is "Yes!" and you're a Word user then this is a tip for you. (I tried this in Excel and PowerPoint and couldn't find it—but it's still a great trick for MS Word!)

To begin, go to the Tools menu, Customize choice. (Or, you could right click over any toolbar and choose Customize from the bottom of the toolbar list.)

In the Customize window, go to the Commands tab.

You're looking for the Keyboard button at the bottom of the window. Click it.

You should be taken to the Customize Keyboard window.

You need to find and highlight the function you'd like to set a keyboard shortcut for in the Categories and Commands lists (located in the upper left).

For example, to set a shortcut for "Save All," I would select the File category and the FileSaveAll command.

At this point, take a quick look in the "Current keys" box. If something is listed there, then there is already a keyboard shortcut for that operation and you can use one of the combinations listed.

For the commands that have no shortcut key combination defined, click into the "Press new shortcut key" box then press a key combination.

Whatever keys you press will be displayed in the box below the words "Press new shortcut key."

Just below that box, the words "Currently assigned to:" will appear. If it says unassigned then click the Assign button. (As you can see Alt+S was unassigned and with a click of the Assign button it would be assigned to the Save All command in Word on my computer.)

** If a command is reported below "Currently assigned to:" then think twice about clicking the Assign button. Be sure you really want to replace the original meaning of the keys with your new meaning.

If you want to try another combination, then hit the Backspace key and try another key combination.

At any rate, once you've got a previously unassigned combination that works for you, click the Assign button.

You'll still be in the "Customize Keyboard" window, allowing you to repeat the process for another command should you choose to do so.

When you've made all your changes simply click the Close button.

You'll be taken back to the Customize window where you can click the Close button there and be on your way with one major difference—you'll have more keyboard control.

If only it were so easy to get more control over the rest of our lives.

~April

Have you ever needed a symbol or some other special character like the degree symbol, the small square checkbox, the copyright symbol, etc.? Well, they're tucked away in a folder that, once you know where to look, is easy to get to and use.

Here's How:

Click the Start Button, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then select Character Map.

You'll be presented with a screen that has lots of different symbols. When you click (and hold) a symbol, it gives you an enlarged preview of it.

To actually select the symbol:

1. Click the symbol you want.
2. Click the Select button, then the Copy button.

This will copy your symbol onto the clipboard where you can then paste it into any word processing program, email, etc.

If you find yourself using a particular symbol all the time, check out the lower right hand corner of the window. On the status bar, you can view the keystroke combo you can use to generate the current character.

Now, all you have to do is hit your keystroke combo (Alt+0169) whenever you need the beloved ©. Oh, and when you type in the numbers, be sure to use the keypad on the right-hand side of your keyboard, not the ones above your letter keys.

Some word processors give you direct access to the character map. In Word for example, click the Insert menu and select Symbol. You will be given a "customized" screen that can automatically insert a symbol directly into your current document. Go to the font you are using then select.

Again, if you find yourself using a particular symbol all the time, check out the lower right hand corner of the symbol window. On the status bar, you can view the keystroke combo you can use to generate the current character. Here you would hit your keystroke combo (Alt+c) whenever you need ©.

Isn't that special.

~ Steve

Q:
Help! I created a document in MS Word, but now Word doesn't "see" it anymore. I can go to My Computer, look in the My Documents folder, and it's there. However, when I try to open it in Word, I can't seem to find it - or any other word document for that matter. What's going on?

A:
My guess? It's a filter problem.

No, not the kind of filter you use for e-mail or to keep your fish tank clean. This is a file filter.

When you select " Open " and that little dialog box comes up, check the drop box called " Files of type " (toward the bottom). It's my guess that you have something other than Word documents selected. To remedy the situation, just select " Word Documents (*.doc) " from the drop down menu.

You should now see all your Word documents, including the missing file.

OK, so why have all the filter stuff in the first place? Why not just show all the files in a folder?

The primary reason for filters in most programs is so you're not trying to open unsupported formats. Good thing too, I remember one time when I forced a jpeg to open in Notepad. Whew, not a pretty site. I still shudder when I think about it.

Anyhow, the really cool thing about filters is you can use them to select only the type of file you're looking for.

For example, let's say I have 300 files in the My Documents folder and they're an equal mix of word documents, text files, pictures, and html files. Now, if I know that the file I want to open is a text file, I can set the filter in MS Word (or any other word processor) to show me only text files. Now, instead of searching through 300 files, I only have to search through 75.

See? Filters aren't just for fish tanks anymore.

~ Steve

Laptop Buying Guide

Welcome back to the second part of your very own laptop buying guide. If you're one of the many people who are looking into buying a laptop, hopefully yesterday's article helped you narrow down your choice a little more. With all of that being said, today we're going to continue by talking about different types of drives you may need for your laptop, how to get connected to the Internet and different accessories you can purchase for your laptop. Hopefully when we're all done, you'll be able to picture the perfect laptop fit for you! So, let's get started.

What Types of Drives Do I Need?

Hard Drive

This magnetic disk provides you with space to save programs and files indefinitely, or at least for the life of the drive. Notebook hard drives can be bigger than 60 GB, but these giant drives cost hundreds of dollars more than the default 20 GB notebook drives. You'll only need a 20 GB or a 30 GB drive, unless you are going to store lots of movies or tons of pictures. Capacity alone does not make a good hard drive. The hard disk's rotational speed also makes a big difference. A 5,400rpm notebook disk delivers significantly faster performance than a 4,200rpm model. The faster the disk spins, the better your notebook will perform overall.

CD and DVD Drives

You need at least a CD-ROM to install software, of course. But unless you're buying a budget notebook, don't settle for anything less than a CD-RW drive so that you can burn your own CDs. For watching movies and playing games on the road, consider a CD-RW drive that doubles as a DVD drive. Some notebooks now offer DVD-rewritable drives, which can store up to 4.7 GB on one disk. But, unless you need to store huge files, such as movies, you may not need the more expensive DVD-RW drive.

Swappable vs. Fixed

The least expensive notebooks come with fixed (built-in) drives. In other words, if you buy your notebook with a fixed DVD-ROM, you're stuck with that drive. On the other hand, a swappable drive bay gives you optimum flexibility. For instance, you can pull out the DVD-ROM drive and swap in a combo DVD/CD-RW drive or even a second battery on many notebooks. I recommend going with a swappable bay if you can afford it. Keep in mind however, that the smallest and lightest ultraportable notebooks may not include either of the fixed or swapped optical drives, which results in you having to rely on external USB drives instead.

External Drives

External drives (storage and media burning options that hook up to your notebook via a cable) come in many shapes and sizes. Most of these drives hook up to your notebook's USB or FireWire connector. Drive choices include external floppy, CD-ROM, combo DVD/CD-RW, DVD-ROM, DVD-RW, hard drive, Zip, LS-120 and others. There are also smaller external drives, such as the Trek 16 MB USB ThumbDrive which plugs directly into your USB connector without a cable. These little drives, sometimes called keychain drives, are brilliant for transferring small amounts of data between notebooks, or between notebooks and PCs. Many notebook users don't need external drives, but there are some scenarios that require them. For instance, if you buy a tiny ultraportable that lacks a built-in CD-ROM drive, make sure you get an external one so that you can load software.

What Do I Need to Stay Connected?

To send and receive e-mail, browse the Web and share files or printers, your notebook must be able to connect to a network or to the Internet. This is usually done via a modem, an Ethernet hookup or a wireless connection. But, your notebook has additional connectivity needs too. Notebooks include a variety of ports (or connectors) that physically link to and communicate with different kinds of equipment, including digital cameras and external monitors.

PC Cards vs. Mini PCI

The PC card, a credit card-shaped device that plugs into a slot on your notebook, can provide a number of connection types. Modems, USB connections (say, for your digital camcorder) and wireless LAN radios are all available in PC card form. PC cards are handy, because they're easy to upgrade and you can buy third party PC card solutions after you purchase your notebooks. However, most notebooks come with only one or two Type II PC card slots, forcing you to limit the number of PC cards you add.

On the other hand, the mini-PCI card is a smaller, more compact version of a PC card. Notebook manufacturers install mini-PCI cards inside notebooks, which has a couple of advantages. These cards are usually cheaper and they leave PC card slots open for additional uses. Unfortunately, mini-PCI cards are almost impossible to remove or upgrade, because they are integrated and sometimes they take power from the notebook's CPU.

Modems and Ethernet Ports

Virtually all notebooks come with 56 Kbps-modem (RJ-11) and Ethernet (RJ-45) connections. Look for a system that integrates these connections on a mini-PCI card, leaving your PC card expansion slot(s) free.

Wireless Antennae and Radios

Many notebooks also include built-in antennae for wireless networking (802.11 or WiFi), so you only have to add a PC card to enable wireless networking. Or, even better, some notebooks come embedded with an internal mini-PCI, a WiFi radio or network interface cards (NICs).

If you choose a notebook with networking built in, make sure you understand the difference between the networking standards that are currently on the market, including 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g.

If your notebook doesn't offer either a built-in antennae or a wireless mini-PCI, it's fairly easy to find PC cards that can get the job done.

Other Ports and Connectors

Most notebooks have a printer port, a VGA port for an external monitor and at least one USB port for connecting an external keyboard and mouse, drives, digital cameras or MP3 players. If you plan to use your notebook for watching DVDs or making presentations, look for a notebook with a multimedia jack (a combined stereo and video output). For home use, you may want a stereo input, a game port, a MIDI connector and a FireWire port for capturing and editing digital video or hooking up an external storage drive.

What Accessories Do I Need?

Docking Station or Port Replicator

A docking station contains a mixture of ports, slots, drive bays and security features. It usually attaches to the notebook from underneath. Docking stations come in a variety of shapes, ranging from the same size as your notebook (which is often referred to as a media slice) to much bigger. Some even stick out five inches past the back of your notebook. As the name implies, a docking station is where you park your notebook until you get back to the office, giving you easy access to your network. It also comes along with a bigger monitor, a regular keyboard, additional storage devices and possibly most important, the convenience of leaving cables plugged in when you walk away from your desk.

A port replicator, on the other hand, is a smaller, stripped down version of a docking station that mainly features ports, such as USB or parallel. When you're on the road, a port replicator is a convenient way to increase your connectivity.

Laptop Bag

You're about to drop a couple grand or more on a laptop and the last thing you want to do is spend even more money on a carrying case. So, you save a few bucks by going with the manufacturer's basic case. Look for padded shoulder straps, reinforced corners and specialized compartments that are designed to hold the AC adapter, the extra batteries and so on.

Extra Battery

If you do even a modest amount of traveling, it is better to get a second battery. They range from $100 to $300 and they are worth the money. Many notebooks allow you to swap them into the main media bay. Other secondary batteries clip on to the back of the notebook or attach via a cable. If you rarely travel with your notebook however, and your laptop is pretty much always plugged in, don't bother with a second battery.

External Drives

Again, external drives (storage and media burning options that hook up to your notebook via a cable) can be a pain to carry around and hook up; plus they can be pricey. You're generally better off buying a notebook that has everything you need out of the box. Nevertheless, external drives are sometimes required. If, for instance, you buy an ultraportable that lacks a built-in CD-ROM drive, make sure you get an external drive so that you can load software. Types of external drives include CD-ROM, CD-RW, combo DVD/CD-RW, DVD-rewritable, floppy, hard drives, Zip drives and more.

Mouse and Keyboard

Working for hours with just a pointing stick or a touchpad can take a toll on your hand, wrist and forearm. To save yourself some wear and tear, invest in a small travel mouse. These can cost as little as $20. They usually hook up via a USB cable and they're very easy to tote. The same advice applies to typing for hours on your notebook's keyboard. If you plant your notebook on your desk when you work, hook up a USB keyboard and relieve your wrists. If you prefer working without wires, get a wireless mouse and keyboard.

Good luck in finding your perfect laptop!

~ Shantala Ramamoorthy