Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Is it safe to use a USB flash drive as a backup drive?

Posted on March 9, 2025

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Question from Alan: Hi, Rick. I have a question for you.

I have a desktop PC that I use only for writing blog posts in Microsoft Word before uploading them to my WordPress blogs..

I plan to turn my blog posts into a series of books some day so I want to keep the posts stored on my hard drive in MS Word format.

Right now the 7 folders containing the posts and their associated images add up to a grand total of a little over 22 Gigabytes.

My question is do you see anything wrong with using a 64 GB USB thumb drive to hold backup copies of these 7 folders? [Read more…]

Why you should ignore messages warning that your PC has outdated drivers

Posted on March 8, 2025

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Several people have messaged me recently asking about “driver update notices” that are popping up on their computers.

These messages are usually presented in pop-up windows or messages in the notifications area at the bottom-right corner of the screen.

Regardless of how these messages show up, many of them are outright scams, and the ones that are legitimate are recommending a piece of software that you don’t need.

[Read more…]

Q&A: Can I use two network adapters to double my Internet speed?

Posted on March 8, 2025

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Question from Bill: I have DSL Internet through our local landline telephone company and it seems to be getting slower every day.

I just bought a new desktop computer that has both a wired Ethernet port and a wireless WiFi card in it. That got me to thinking.

Is there any way to use both of those network adapters at once to double my effective Internet speed? [Read more…]

How tech has changed the mobile gaming landscape

Posted on March 8, 2025

Technology has reshaped mobile gaming into a global powerhouse. What once consisted of simple pixelated experiences has evolved into a sophisticated industry driven by high-end graphics, cloud-based gaming, and artificial intelligence.

From casual puzzle apps to competitive online tournaments, mobile gaming now rivals traditional gaming platforms in engagement and revenue. [Read more…]

8 tips for searching Google like a pro

Posted on March 6, 2025

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These days you can find virtually anything you’re looking for with a Google search.

But as you’ve probably noticed, the search results pages can sometimes be confusing and cluttered with results that have little or nothing to do with the topic you’re interested in.

But by using a few tricks you can eliminate many of the distracting non-relevant listings and find the info you need in a jiffy.

With that in mind, here are eight tips for searching Google like a pro: [Read more…]