Box Off My Computer

Everything You Need For Your PC

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 05:55:00 +0000

When you set up your new PC or completely restore your old one then you will pretty much need to start from scratch. At Box Off My Computer we recommend the following FREE software for your PC (or laptop);

AVG FREE - Free Anti-Virus

MOZILLA FIREFOX - Free Browser

OPEN OFFICE - Free Office Software

GOOGLE ACCOUNT - Free Email, Online Storage, Online Tools

Having just these few simple programs on your computer will provide you with everything you need for your computer basics. They're all tried, tested and trusted by millions and they will cost you nothing, not a single penny ever. Box Off My Computer recommends these products above and beyond any others.

If you need any help with the above products, then we will be glad to help you with them. Please use the 'Ask Us A Question' Page to contact us.

HTML Colours Made Easy!

Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:26:00 +0000

If you need help choosing a colour for your website background, website text content or anything else like that then check out this super cool HTML (hyper text markup language, the language of websites) colour code chart.

Click the image to go to the chart and choose your own colours...

html-color-codes.info

Sreensaver for Security?

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 18:34:00 +0000

A screensaver is what your computer screen shows when the computer is left idle or untouched for a while. Depending on your computer settings your screen may switch to the screensaver after 5 mins of being idle or up to a few hours after.

Some people prefer not to have a Screensaver on their computer as sometimes they can interupt movies or presentations where the computer will not be used or touched for a long period of time, as they're being watched from a distance.

Screensavers were initally a computer program introduced to stop Plasma and Cathode Rey Tube (CRT) monitors from 'Screen Burn' which can ruin them. These days, Screensavers are mainly used for entertainment purposes and security reasons.

Screensavers look cool and people often have them set to show their photo albums so their screen will flick through their photos whilst their away from their computer or have them model their brand logos in business offices as people are often leaving their computers unattended.

People can use a Screensaver as a security measure by password protecting. This means that once the screensaver has come onto the screen, you would need to know the computer password to get rid of it. Great security if your worried about somebody using your computer or snooping whilst you've nipped to the loo.

To access the Sreensaver settings on your computer;

- Right click on your Desktop,

- Select 'Personalise' or 'Properties' whichever shows.

- Select 'Screen Saver' from the list or tab.

- Go to 'Settings', from there you can set password security, set the time to which the screensaver comes on and create or decide a wonderful screensaver!

This picture gives you an idea of what to do...

Price Comparison Tools

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:02:00 +0000

We've all heard of Price Comparison websites but what do they actually do?

Lets say you're looking to buy a new laptop, instead of searching through loads of websites such as;

Dell, Misco, Microsoft Store, etc. You can just search using one website and they will search a selection of others for you.

For general online shopping try Kelkoo

Try Compare The Market for;

Home Insurance

Car Insurance

Van Insurance

To compare supermarket prices try MySupermarket

What is a Kindle?

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:38:00 +0000

What is a Kindle?

Kindle is a hand held device used for downloading, storing and reading ebooks and other digital media such as magazines, newspapers and personal documents. You can even play audio files such as audiobooks and MP3s. The Kindle is continuously connected wirelessly to Amazon and its huge library of ebooks, mp3's and audiobooks and there for makes it easy for Amazon to make millions of pounds and for you to have a massive book collection without all the clutter around the house.

Kindle is made by Lab126 which is a subsidairy company of Amazon (as in the online shop, and not the Brazilian Jungle).

Kindle Wireless Reading Device,

(Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6)

Prices start at about £111 and range up to about £152 from Amazon.

Update Plugins

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 21:45:00 +0000

What is a Plugin?

(Also called plug-in, addin, add-in, addon, add-on, snap-in or snapin)

These days it seems there are Plugins for everything, especially Browsers.

Browser Plugins are used to add extra capabilities or features to your browser such as dectecting viruses, playing videos or they can link a program already on your computer to your browser for easier use. They are usually third party meaning they are not made by the people who make the browsers.

It can be important to keep your browser plugins up to date or your browser could become slow, sluggish and even vunerable.

Mozilla Firefox has designed a Plugin checker that will check all the browser plugins installed on your machine and tell you if they need updating. It features a really easy way to update all your plugins and therefore keeping your browser in tip top shape.

To have a go on the Plugin Checker and update your plugins click the link below.

- Plugin Checker For All Browsers click here to begin

- A list of all the browser plugins installed on your computer will appear, this may take a minute.

- The plugins most outdated will appear at the top of the list, update these first by clicking on 'Update'.

- The 'Update' link may take you to the Plugins website and from there you can update or download the plugin.

- Close and reopen your browser after updating and your browser is now updated.

What is an ipad?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:14:00 +0000

Ipads are 'tablet computers' made by Apple.

A tablet computer or simply a tablet is a complete computer squeezed into flat touch screen that uses only a stylus, digital pen or fingertip as the primary input device (instead of a keyboard or mouse).

Ipads first appeared in our shops in January 2010. Even though prices range from £429 to over £800 each Apple still managed to sell three million of them in 80 days and so they're proving rather popular. Ipad is particularly marketed as a platform for audio and visual media such as books, movies, music, and games and web content.

A Few Good Points About Ipad

- Its appearence is very fetching, you will be the coolest kid on the block with an ipad.

- Good battery life.

- It's as light as a feather... compared to most laptops.

- Ipad can run all the apps available for iphone.

- Good for ebooks and newspaper reading.

A Few Bad Points About Ipad

- Does not support flash

- No multi-tasking which is very dissapointing. You can only use one application at a time.

- No USB connection option. In fact the ipad only has an ipod connector. This limits what you can plug into it and means you have to use adaptors for most things.

- No SD card slot for your photo cards.

- No Camera, huff.

- No CD or DVD Drive.

- Ipad doesnt have a huge storage drive.

- Ipad only runs Apple Apps which is a pretty poor performance.

- The battery cannot be replaced.

- No widescreen capabilities.

- The list goes on.

If you're still interested in buying a Ipad check out some prices first here...

Ipads at Amazon

Ipads at PC World

Ipad Accessories

Buying accessories for your new toys can often be expensive. The Ipad is no different.

As we have learned above; Ipads have no ports except for an ipod connector meaning you have to use adaptors for everything.But there are some pretty cool accessories available too.

See some prices for the accessories here, be sure to always shop around for the best deals.

Ipad Accessories at PC World

Ipad Accessories at Dixons

Ipad Accessories on Amazon

To read more about the ipad visit this website all ablout them - ipadinfo.org.uk

Increase Web Credibility

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:11:00 +0000

If you are a business owner or simply the owner of a website that you hope to make big one day, read through the following tips. We believe this to be good solid advice about getting your website or new business off the ground.

1. Find a Good Name

The company name is usually the first impression the customer gets of your business. If you're going to plaster it all over the internet, be sure the name is easy to remember, spell, and more importantly is relevant to the products or service you are selling.

We decided on 'Box Of My Computer' for our company; it's relavent and easy to remember.

2. Have a professional looking website

Tasteful simplicity is usually the way to go. Something too flashy or sales-oriented will drive customers away while an attractive but straightforward layout will denote professionalism. Also make sure you have your own domain name (such as www.boxoffmycomputer.co.uk) and a blog that links from the site.

Try webs.com for free, easy and professional website building.

3. Showcase Press Coverage

Press coverage is a valuable badge of credibility. In the physical world we see restaurants displaying positive reviews on the door; why not do the same online?

4. Blog

Keeping a well-maintained blog is simply the standard these days. It's an opportunity for you to engage customers, as well as to demonstrate your vast knowledge of the industry. As stated previously, match the blog to your site for a unified brand feel.

Box Off My Computer Blog publishes new blogs about computer basics all the time and therefore we keep our content fresh.

5. User Testimonials

Testimonials go a long way in reassuring visitors that you indeed have happy customers. Reserve a prominent place on your site for users to share their praises, and include pictures to prove these are real people.

Box Off My Computer uses Free Online Directories to keep tabs on our reviews and testimonials. Leaving the general public able to say what they want about us. Its all good, check out Box Off My Computers reviews at freeindex.co.uk.

6. Find a logo

Similar to your name, a logo can define your business as professional and established. Try to come up with a clean, tasteful stylisation of a common word or image relevant to your business.

If you need some help, you can consult Logoworks and they will come up with one for you.

Get a discount off Professional Logo Design from Logoworks.

7. Video Content

When it comes to web content, eyeballs tend to gravitate toward pictures and videos. Produced videos of reasonable length will grab the attention of browsers, and establish further your web credibility.

Box Off My Computer use Youtube to help us with our video content, we subscribe to well known channels such as Google and publish the best bits on our site.

Click here to visit Box Off My Computer YouTube Channel.

8. Social Media

Also a new standard, sites like Twitter and Facebook are now integral to a respectable web-presence. Build out your own social media pages, engage the community, and include link buttons on your main site.

For help creating and manging your own social network wheel, click here.

9. A Friendly About Page

Often overlooked, your site's about page is the first stop for many internet-goers. Speak in a relatable voice about what your company does, and include pictures and employee bios for personality.

For an example check out Box Off My Computer 'About Us' page here.

10. No Errors

If your site is riddled with typos and broken links, who's to say your product isn't flawed as well? Attention to detail is the mark of a professional business.

You should ask your friends and visitors to report any broken links or spelling mistakes to you and make it easy for them to do so. Box Off My Computer make use of a simple form on our contact page where our visitors and friends can report such errors to us.

11. Mention Company News

Customers will always prefer an active company to a stagnant one, and sharing company news and updates is a great way to establish yourself as the former.

Box Off My Computer publishes company news just as if we were publishing free computer advice or a hot deal. This helps keeps our content fresh and also helps keep our company active.

12. Update Content Often

Changing the content of your site (even a little) shows that there is a living company behind the webpage, a fact vital to your credibility.

This is a super tip, as Box Off My Computer has found updating your website regularly, if only a little helps attract all the major search engines and helps power it up the natural listings (Search Engine Optimisation in brief). Box Off My Computer creates new blogs regularly (Weekly does it) and the search engines are quick to pick them up which helps drive us above all the similar sites that only update twice a year or so.

13. Establish yourself as an authority

This means engaging in the community surrounding your industry and showing you know your stuff. Leaving informed comments on relevant articles and forums will help you and your company be known as a credible resource and business.

Box Off My Computer uses Yahoo! Answers and similar forums to help with this factor, although we offer an 'Ask Us A Computer Question' service, our website still only attracts a fraction of the visitors Yahoo! Answers does and so it makes sense for us to build our reputation and authority there by answering computer related questions. Yahoo! Answers has also contributed massively to our website traffic so its an exellent free tool if you know your stuff.

14. Provide Helpful Information

By offering genuine, unbiased information relevant to your industry you show both that you are knowledgeable in your field, and also that you aren't just trying to sell something.

Box Off My Computer dont sell merchandise or products, we offer a service; free basic computer help and advice. We affiliate other companies who sell stuff, if any of their stuff sells through our website then we receive a few pence. Its the helpful information on our website that attracts people.

15. SEO Optimise

Customers obviously need to find you , but Google and the like are also important to your web credibility. If people have a hard time finding you on major search-engines, they assume something is wrong.

Get your website listed on all the major search engines, otherwise it will be impossible for people to find.

Submit your website to Google

Submit your website to Yahoo

Submit your website to Bing

16. Make Contact Easy

Phone numbers, email, address, and any other forms of contact should be made painfully obvious. Showing customers that you?re open to talk improves trust and professionalism. Your own 0800 number is also a mark of professionalism.

At Box Off My Computer we have a multi-functional contact facility, a simple web form is all it takes.

17. Show Affiliations with Credible Sites

If you are somehow associates with or work alongside sites that have already established credibility, let that be known. Conversely, do not link to or associate with less than credible ones.

To help you find suitable affiliations, try a company such as Affiliate Window, they have masses of credible companies just waiting to partner with your site. Just make sure the affiliations are suitable for your site. Dont affiliate 'Holidays in Majorca' on your website about 'Staffordshire Bull Terriers'!

18. Awards

Awards act as a shiny badge of credibility that customers can take comfort in. If there are any industry or other awards your company has won recently, be sure it's clear on your site, and if not, enter to win some.

19. No Gimmicky Interruptional Advertising!

Honesty is the best policy, and gone are the days that anyone actually fell for the you're the 5,000th visitor! trick. If anything flashes or pops up on your site, you can bet you aren't going to be taken seriously.

Box Off My Computer avoids pop ups and any other ANNOYING types of adverts at all costs, this is a major put off for serious users.

20. Highlight Experts on Your Team

If there is anyone on your team that would qualify as an expert, find a way to include this on your site. It gives customers that personal feel, and makes them feel that they are in good hands.

Testimonials and reviews can help with this, if you dont have an expert, an over qualified member of staff or a celebrity on your team then get your valued customers or people you have helped in the past to leave positive comments, post polite reviews etc.

As you can see, building web credibility takes a lot of work and patience, and that is precisely why you should do it. Your competition may not be up to the challenge leaving you standing above the crowd.

This content was originally written by Prasad Thammineni (and of course, tweaked by us), he is a massively sucessful computer entrepreneur. He knows what he's talking about. We think this is great advice, especially if you have a new business or website and want to get it going.

A Bit About Computer Memory!

Sun, 13 Jun 2010 19:36:00 +0000

Computer Memory is a toughy to discribe as each term has at least three accepted definitions.

So here it goes, a bit about computer memory, in very basic terms...

For Processor and Virtual Storage

1 Bit = Binary Digit

8 Bits = 1 Byte

1024 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte

1024 Kilobytes = 1 Megabyte

1024 Megabytes = 1 Gigabyte

1024 Gigabytes = 1 Terabyte

1024 Terabytes = 1 Petabyte

1024 Petabytes = 1 Exabyte

1024 Exabytes = 1 Zettabyte

1024 Zettabytes = 1 Yottabyte

1024 Yottabytes = 1 Brontobyte

1024 Brontobytes = 1 Geopbyte

For Disk Storage

1 Bit = Binary Digit

8 Bits = 1 Byte

1000 Bytes = 1 Kilobyte

1000 Kilobytes = 1 Megabyte

1000 Megabytes = 1 Gigabyte

1000 Gigabytes = 1 Terabyte

1000 Terabytes = 1 Petabyte

1000 Petabytes = 1 Exabyte

1000 Exabytes = 1 Zettabyte

1000 Zettabytes = 1 Yottabyte

1000 Yottabytes = 1 Brontobyte

1000 Brontobytes = 1 Geopbyte

Blah Blah!

Theres a pattern there, hopefully you managed to pick it up without having an anxiety attack?

Slightly More Detail About Processor and Virtual Storage.

Bit (b)

A bit is typically the smallest unit of memory in a computer.

Byte (B)

A Byte is equal to 8 Bits.

Kilobyt (KB)

A kilobyte is equal to 1024 Bytes.

Megabyte (MB)

A Magabyte is equal to 1024 Kilobytes. When computers first came into our lives years ago, we measured our new computers memory size in Megabytes.

Gigabyte (GB)

A Gigabyte is equal to 1024 Megabytes. These days, most new computers have processors that are at least 80GB

Terabyte (TB)

A Terabyte is equal to 1024 Gigabytes.

Petabytes

A Patebyte is equal to 1024 Terabytes.

Exabyte

A Exabyte is equal to 1024 Petabytes.

Zettabyte

A Zettabyte is equal to 1024 Exabytes.

Yottabyte

A Yottabyte is equal to 1024 Zettabytes

Brontobyte

A Briontobyte is equal to 1024 Yottabytes

Geopbyte

A Geopbyte is equal to 1024 Brontobytes

TECHNICAL OVERLOAD WARNING!!! OUCH!!!

What is a URL?

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 09:54:00 +0000

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator

It is just another name for website address. At Box Off My Computer our URL is

http://www.boxoffmycomputer.co.uk/

To find the URL of a webpage, take a look at the top of your browser page.

What Is Javascript?

Sat, 05 Jun 2010 09:16:00 +0000

Javascript is the most popular scripting language on the internet. It is used by Web Designers when building websites.

You will need to Enable Javascript in your browser in order to play online games, watch catch up TV online, etc.

Also, when you Enable Javascript in your browser, web designers can use additional tricks to resize the page or add extra functionality when you're visiting websites. For example, drop down menus, buttons to make navigating websites easier and changing the cursor when you roll over an icon are all tricks done by Javascript.

Related Posts...

How To Enable Javascript | Setup Your New PC or Laptop | Basic PC Maintenance Help

Save Money On Printer Inks and Toners!

Thu, 03 Jun 2010 08:17:00 +0000

If you require printer ink cartridges for your existing printer or you are thinking of buying a new printer, be sure to shop around first and check the prices of the inks. Prices can vary, but often the inks can be more expensive than the printer itself. Here are a few companies to check your prices with.

Check Out Ink Prices Before You Buy Your Printer!!!

Amazon.co.uk

PrinterInks

InkXpress Direct

Inkfactory.com

Related Posts...

Get 5% Off Hewlett Packard | A Mini Photobook and 50 Prints Free

What is an RSS Feed?

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 19:21:00 +0000

RSS (Really Simple Syndication)

RSS is a method of distributing content in your website that you'd like others to use. In other words, it's a mechanism to "syndicate" your content easily with no fuss.

Or, you can subscribe to an RSS feed to be distributed all the latest content from your favourite sites.

Related Posts...

Get Fed Computer Help With RSS | Internet Basics Help | Website Help

What is a Cookie?

Mon, 31 May 2010 01:02:00 +0000

Cookies are tiny files stored by your browser onto your conmputer that remember your personal settings. When you go to a site you've been to before, the cookies remind the site how you like the info on it to be displayed.

Most modern browsers allow users to decide whether to accept cookies, and the time frame to keep them, but rejecting cookies makes some websites unusable.

Related Posts...

Enable Cookies | What is Cache? | Clear Out Your Cache And Cookies | What Is A Browser?

What is Cache?

Mon, 31 May 2010 00:50:00 +0000

Cache - Pronounced 'Kash'

A browser's cache is just some of its memory that's devoted to remembering what a page used to look like. Using cache, browsers can open pages they've seen before more quickly.

So, its basically something your Browser uses to remember what a webpage looks like.

To read about Cache on Wikipedia click here

Related Posts...

Clear Out Cache And Cookies | What are Cookies | Clean Up Your Computer

Get A Basic Website For Your Business!

Tue, 25 May 2010 16:16:00 +0000

A basic website is a website that is easy to create, manage and is very effective at providing an online presence for you or your business. It doesnt have to be expensive or massively time consuming.

At Box Off My Computer we offer a range of basic website packages that you can either learn to mange yourself or we can manage for you.

For details about what type of package would suit you and a price list please check out

Box Off My Computer - Website Services

Adobe CS5 Free Trials Have Begun!!!

Tue, 04 May 2010 20:42:00 +0000

Adobe CS5 products are now shipping and are available for FREE TRIALS!

PLUS, Adobe has extended their free shipping offer for CS5 suites and added Photoshop software.

Adobe Trial Link

Adobe UK Special Offers Page

Free Shipping on all Adobe Products!

Save 80% on Adobe Student and Teacher Editions

For help and advice about the new Adobe Photoshop CS5, check out lynda.com software tutorials

What is an Operating System?

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:11:00 +0000

So what is an operating system?

An operating system is what your computer uses to manage programs. Buying or upgrading an operating system can be very expensive but these days operating systems are preinstalled on new computers.

A few examples of operating systems are Windows 7 (the latest in Microsoft Operating Systems). Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows NT and Windows 98. Most operating systems have different versions; suitable for different uses such as, home edition, professional and business editions.

Windows 7

Windows 7 was released by Microsoft in October 2009 and so is the most recent of Microsoft Operating Systems. It boast many new functions such as 'Snap', 'Pin', improved desktop navigation and much more. To watch some quick videos on the new Windows 7 then visit our Windows 7 Video Demos here.

To buy or compare versions of Windows 7 click the image below for great deals on upgrading.

If you would like to learn more about Windows 7;

Click here to visit Microsoft Windows 7 website

Click here to read up on Windows 7 on Wikipedia

If you are thinking of upgrading to Windows 7, then please ensure your computer has all the system requirements. Click here to check your computer has what it takes to run Windows 7.

Windows Vista

Windows Vista was released in 2007 five years after its predecessor; Windows XP. It boasted many new features for its time, a graphical user interface, Windows DVD Maker, a redesigned search function and Windows Defender. Vista was also the target of much criticism and negative press at the time mainly due to issues with privacy, security, performance, and product activation.

To learn more about Windows Vista and its features;

Click here to visit Windows Vista website

Click here to read up on Windows Vista on Wikipedia

If you are thinking of upgrading to Windows Vista then please ensure your computer has all the system requirements. Click here to check your computer has what it takes to run Windows Vista.

Windows XP

Windows XP was first released in October 2001, noted for being much more user friendly than previous operating systems. As of the end of February 2010, Windows XP is the most widely used operating system in the world with a 58.4% market share, having peaked at 76.1% in January 2007.

To learn more about Windows XP and its features;

Click here to visit Windows XP website

Click here to read up on Windows XP on Wikipedia

If you are thinking of upgrading to Windows XP then please ensure your computer has all the system requirements. Click here to check your computer has what it takes to run Windows XP.

A Mini Photobook & 50 Prints FREE!

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 18:54:00 +0000

Kodak Gallery are offering some cool hot deals this week, be quick not to miss them...

These offers will expire the 30th June.

- 50% off your first order

- Free mini photobook when you register

- 50 free prints

Other Deals & Codes

- Spend £30 get 20% off - Use code UK-3020

- 30% off poster prints - Use code UK-HOME30

- 30% off canvas prints - Use code UK-HOME30

- 30% off collages - Use code UK-HOME30

Adobe CS5 Launch Event!

Sat, 10 Apr 2010 13:12:00 +0000

Get your first look at Adobe CS5 on April 12th 2010.

Its very exciting news if you're a photoshop lover!