Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Is there an easy way to get my motherboard’s serial number?

Posted on September 12, 2023

Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter

Question from Sharon: A couple of years ago I bought a custom-built Windows PC from a computer store that’s about two hours away in another city. My daughter lived there at the time and she had recommended them to me after dealing with them.

This morning I received a letter from them saying some of the motherboards they had used during that time have been recalled due to a potential fire hazard.

They asked me to send them the serial number of my computer’s motherboard so they could check to see if it’s affected by the recall. [Read more…]

Take aerial photos and video with your own camera drone

Posted on September 12, 2023

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

By now you’ve probably seen some of the numerous videos and photos that have been captured from the air using drones.

I have, and many of them are absolutely amazing.

Now, you can own your own camera-equipped drone, and plenty of models are available for less than $100. And even the ones that cost the least are a joy to use. [Read more…]

How to use your iPad as a laptop

Posted on September 11, 2023

Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

It’s no secret that Apple’s iPad line of tablets have amazing touch screens and quite functional virtual onscreen keyboards.

However, it’s also no secret that most people find it much easier to type using a full screen physical keyboard and “tapping” doesn’t give you the same level of control you can get with a mouse.

For most typical “tablet” tasks the iPad’s virtual keyboard and touch screen work just fine, but if you do a lot of typing and/or image manipulation you might be better off attaching a physical keyboard and mouse to your iPad so you can use it like a laptop. [Read more…]

Yes, it’s now safe to update your PC to Windows 11

Posted on September 10, 2023

After insisting for years that Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows ever, Microsoft changed their mind and released Windows 11 back in October 2021.

As with all new major Windows version releases, I recommended holding off on updating from Windows 10 until Microsoft had a chance to get all the major bugs worked out of the new version.

Well, that time has come. In fact, that time came a good while ago. While Windows will never be completely bug-free, I believe all the most serious bugs have now been squashed. [Read more…]

Student tips for efficient document creation and collaboration using Microsoft Office

Posted on September 10, 2023

In today’s fast-paced technological world, where information flows like a river, mastering the art of creating and collaborating on documents is a game-changer.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just dipping your toes into the world of Microsoft Office, this article is your trusty guide to boosting your efficiency, conquering the virtual paper trail, and becoming a document dynamo. [Read more…]