Q: I bought my mother an iPod. I would like to find audiobooks for her. Can I gift them to her online?
A: Audiobooks are widely available. The most obvious store is iTunes. It offers plenty of audiobooks, which are easily gifted. Select one and click Gift This Audiobook. Prices run $10 to $25 for popular titles. You might also consider a subscription to Audible. You can get two books a month for $23. There are also plenty of free audiobooks. Most are public domain works. Try sites like LibriVox, Project Gutenberg and LearnOutLoud. I have links to these sites at www.komando.com/news .
Q: I'm a private investigator and need help doing research. I need to know what domains people own. Can I search by name⢠Where do I start?
A: You can find this service online. DomainTools is one site that does it. Pricing is based on the number of domains found. The base price is $80 for nine or fewer domains. Prices rise from there. Finding a domain owner is much easier. That information is available from most domain registrars. You can also search through WHOIS. All that's needed is the Web site name. You'll get the owner's name and contact information. WHOIS is free. Find links to both at www.komando.com/news .
Q: I've been reading your Apple tips. Many mention right-clicking. It doesn't seem to work. Besides, my mouse only has one button. What am I missing?
A: With the correct settings, you can right-click. You simply press on the right side. Newer iMacs have the Magic Mouse. Older ones came with the standard Apple Mouse. Enabling right-clicking is simple for either. Click the Apple logo, then System Preferences. Select Mouse. With an Apple Mouse, you'll see a mouse diagram. Click the dropdown menu on the right side. Set it to Secondary Button. With a Magic Mouse, check the box labeled "Secondary click."
Q: I heard that turning a computer on and off is hard on it. Is this true⢠Should I leave my computer on all the time?
A: Turning a computer on and off does cause extra wear, but you need to shut down and reboot occasionally. I leave my computer on all the time. It goes into Sleep mode after a set period of time. This greatly reduces the power it uses, but it still wakes to install security and Windows updates. When I notice it starting to get slow, I restart. Of course, I sometimes restart after installing or removing software.
Q: I have Windows 7 on my new netbook. I foolishly set up a password. Now, I have to sign on each time I use it. Can I delete this?
A: Removing you password is simple. Click Start, then Control Panel, and then User Accounts. Select your account. Click "Remove my password." On the next window, enter your password in the box. Click Remove Password. However, there are good reasons to have a password. Say your netbook is stolen. If you have a password, your data could be OK. Odds are, the thief doesn't have the brains to crack the password. Plus, having one allows you to set up a guest account. Your houseguests won't be able to snoop around your files.
Contact Kim Komando at gnstech@gannett.com .
