Tech Questions & Answers Archives

Q&A: Why do ranges and dryers run on 240 volts instead of 120?

Posted on October 21, 2026

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Question from Brenda: I’m having my house renovated and I’m in the process of ordering all new appliances.

The man at Home Depot said I’d have to pay extra for a special cord for both the electric range and the clothes dryer because they run on 240 volts instead of 120.

When I asked him why he said he didn’t know, but that’s just the way it is.

My question is, why do ranges and dryers use 240 volts when all the other appliances use 120 volts? [Read more…]

Q&A: Can I create a desktop shortcut to the Bluetooth settings?

Posted on October 20, 2026

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Question from Mike: I have a set of Bluetooth “over the ear” headphones and a pair of Bluetooth earbuds that are both paired to my Windows 11 laptop.

I frequently switch back and forth between them, depending on what I’m using them for.

What I’d like to do is create a desktop shortcut to the Bluetooth settings so I can quickly open them when I need to switch from the headphones to the earbuds (or vice versa).

I can’t find a way to create that shortcut. Do you know of a way to do it? [Read more…]

Q&A: Does Apple sell refurbished MacBooks?

Posted on October 17, 2026

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Question from Deaton: My daughter is getting ready to turn 13 in a few weeks and I want to get her something really special for this very special birthday.

She’s been wanting a MacBook, but the ones I saw in the store are really expensive so I’m thinking about getting her a refurbished one.

I’ve bought several refurbished Windows PCs in the past and mostly had great luck with them.

Does Apple sell refurbished MacBooks? And if they do, are they a good deal in your opinion? [Read more…]

Q&A: Can you use two mice to control one computer?

Posted on October 15, 2026

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Question from Faye: Hi, Rick. I have a question for you and it might be one you’ve never heard before. Don’t laugh, but is it possible to use two mice with one computer?

I’m using a series of educational games to teach my 4 year old son Math and Phonics, and we’re always having to switch off using the mouse.

Is there any way to have two separate mice controlling the same computer? [Read more…]

Q&A: How can I keep my online backups virus-free?

Posted on October 13, 2026

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Question from Joyce: I’m constantly taking pictures of my grandkids and copying them onto my computer. And since I don’t want to lose them I keep my computer backed up with Carbonite.

But a nagging question has been bugging me for a while now.

Since Carbonite backs up my files automatically, how can I prevent it from backing up a virus too should I ever get one on my PC? [Read more…]