The black bugs are back… meaner, faster and nastier! They’ve crashed the garden party and once again it’s Tumble to the rescue… but this time she’s got back-up!

Call on your frog, butterfly and rhino beetle friends to help you battle your way through 90 stunning all-new levels and save your beetle buddies! Who is behind this black bug invasion? Whatever became of the Black Bug King?

All will be revealed right here in the long awaited sequel to the bestselling Tumblebugs!

[Download free trial of Tumblebugs 2]
[Buy Tumblebugs 2]

Sentry Lite is free monitoring software that offers parents and computer administrators the ability to monitor both sides of instant message conversations and Web sites visited without the user ever knowing. A special spy technology engine keeps Sentry hidden from all users, anti-spyware, and firewall software.

You can review all of your logs from any Internet-enabled device by visiting the program’s site and logging in.

[1.63M] [WinXP/Vista] [FREE]

Let’s face it, we’re all busy, and it’s only going to get worse before it gets better. I remember the days as a kid when I had an open schedule and could pretty much do whatever I wanted to do whenever I wanted to do it. Things change with time, and that open schedule is now history. Being busy isn’t always a bad thing, and it can be a lot easier to deal with if you have an established way to manage your crazy schedule. Appointments become a way of life, and people and clients that think your time is freely available will have to learn to schedule appointments with you. If you need a solution that can help you with appointments, just check out Scheduly.

What’s great about Scheduly is that you just set your schedule and the service will know when you’re available so that it can offer those time slots to the public. Not only will your Scheduly business page make it easy for others to schedule appointments with you, but you can also embed a scheduling widget on your own Web site. With this service, you’ll be able to easily keep track of your clients and appointments and alleviate some stress.

I think someone has taken over my Gmail account and has changed the password. What can I do? –Lloyd

It’s possible that someone has “hijacked” your Gmail account and could end up using it for anything from a prank, sending out spam, or the worst case scenario: to steal your identity.

Identity thieves have figured out that if they can gain access to your email account, they can probably access some critical information that would allow them to start acting like they are you.

For instance, when you sign up for an online banking account, they ask you what your primary email address is in case you ever lose your password.

If an ID thief can take over your email account, they can tell your bank that they lost the username and/or password and to send the info to reset the password to your registered email address.

Once that happens, they are off and running!

Free Web mail accounts like Gmail are great resources, but many people have become too lax in how they use these wonderful tools.

For instance, if you’re at a friend’s house, at an Internet cafe or at work and use a computer to check your email, it’s possible that the browser on that computer is set to remember usernames and passwords automatically.

That means that the next person that happens to go to your email service’s login page will only need to hit the Enter key to start accessing your email account (and change your password, etc.)

You can get in the habit of clearing out the Internet History and passwords whenever you use someone else’s computer, but that won’t guarantee that your login information stays private.

There are a number of ways that someone with malicious intent can capture your keystrokes when you are using a computer that doesn’t belong to you, so be very selective where you access your email account in the future.

If you think your Gmail account has been compromised, go to mail.google.com/support and click on the “Privacy & Security” link then on the link that says: “My account has been compromised” and follow the instructions.

If you use this account for any kind of online banking, stock accounts, or anything that could jeopardize your identity, make sure you change all of your account access codes and change the security email address for those accounts to another address.

If you think that you’re exposed to identity theft as a result of this hijacking, you may also want to put a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit file with the three major consumer credit reporting organizations: Equifax.com, Experian.com, and TransUnion.com.

A fraud alert will tell the credit bureaus to contact you if any new credit accounts are being opened, while a credit freeze tells the credit bureaus that no lender can access your account without you lifting the freeze for that lender.

A credit freeze is much more secure than a fraud alert, but there are associated costs and inconveniences, so make sure you fully understand the differences before you make a decision on either of them.

Ken Colburn
President of Data Doctors Computer Services, Host of the award-winning Computer Corner radio show, and Author of Computer Q&A in the East Valley Tribune newspapers.

Gnomie Steven Groginsky writes:

Hi Chris,

I came across this list of toolbar program launchers in the DonationCoder’s Launchbar Commander app’s help file (under “Related Programs” and thought you might be interested. Note Microsoft Research’s entry, “Groupbar.” As you know, I’m very interested in a lot of features of program launchers, like auto-hide docks, drag-n-drop add, and definitely submenus. I used to rely on PowerPro, but I found it kind of unwieldly and hard to work with. Launchbar Commander fits the bill but I need to learn more about how to configure it.

BTW, there is a nag that you have to sign up for its forum and download a free license to avoid.

• DC Forum discussion
• DC Forum discussion
• True Launch Bar
• Free Launch Bar
• Advanced Launcher
• MenuApp
• Accessor.Launchbar
• Free Launch Bar
• BarLaunch
• KwikLaunch
• Micro-Sys Launcher
• TrayBar
• Win Menu
• AppPlus
• YzDock
• RocketDock PunkSoftware
• StatBar freeware system monitoring utility
• WinBar freeware system monitoring utility
• LaunchMate
• Systray+ - put an icon in the TNA
• TrayMenu by Wei Ke with beta TrayBar
• H-Menu
• Horst Schaeffer’s PopSel and QSel
• PS Hot Launch
• XFCE Linux window manager app
• Stardock’s ObjectBar
• Micro-Sys Launcher 1.46
• RUNit
• Microsoft Research’s GroupBar
• PowerPro
• RkLauncher
• MobyDock
• Skinnables.org freeware skinnable launchbars
• LaunchTab
• ShortPopUp
• AquaDock
• LaunchIt Now!
• Toolbox

Not everyone uses keyboard shortcuts. However, for those that do, you know how much faster it can be to maneuver your way around various Windows. Take for example, Windows Explorer. Knowing and using a few useful keyboard shortcuts for common tasks is faster than using a mouse.

Although the keyboard shortcuts may be difficult to remember at first, once you’ve used them a few times, you will see how much faster it is than a mouse. Until you get to that point, it is often helpful to write a few useful ones down and have them right next to your computer for reference.

Here are a few useful keyboard shortcuts available for Windows Explorer:

• Alt+Up - Go up a folder
• Alt+Right - Go forward
• Alt+Left- Go back
• Alt+Enter - Properties of the selected file
• F11 - Put explorer into Fullscreen mode

Whether you’re hiking, skiing, kayaking, snowshoeing, or just want to look like you do all this (there’re a lot of people like this up here in the Pacific Northwest), you’ll find what you’re looking for at REI.

• REI — End of Season SnowSports Sale: Save up to 40% (Posted on 4/25/08 and expires on 5/31/08)
• REI — Buy any Royal Robbins or Victorinox item and your entire order ships free (Posted on 4/24/08 and expires on 5/1/08)
• REI — Free Shipping when you ship your order to an REI Store (Posted on 1/1/08 and expires on 12/31/09)
• REI — REI Outlet (Posted on 9/23/07 and expires on 12/31/09)

Find more coupons here.

Ice cream cafe magnate Henry Rich has died and his fortune was left to his two daughters.

In order to receive their inheritance, however, they have to complete one task. Each daughter must start her own business from scratch. The daughter who builds the most profitable business over the course of a year will inherit her father’s entire fortune.

Help Cindy compete against her greedy sister Jeanne in the colorful, and sometimes unusual, Ice Cream Mania!

[Download free trial of Ice Cream Mania]
[Buy Ice Cream Mania]

WeFi enables reliable connection to Wi-Fi wherever wireless networks are available. WeFi users can move between open Wi-Fi networks automatically, monitor friends’ online status and location, know the proximity of neighboring WeFi users who allow it, and chat with them.

WeFi hotspot directory will help you find a wireless network to connect to anywhere around the world.

[5.7M] [WinXP/Vista] [FREE]

When we watch a video online, we have certain expectations about what the experience will be like. Usually we can only watch one thing at a time because we can only watch the video in one window, and in addition to that, the experience is hardly ever interactive in any way. In most situations this is not a problem at all, and online video has certainly done its job in terms of grabbing our attention and keeping us hooked. Of course, there is more than can be done with video on the Web, and the platform that VIDDIX provides mixes your videos with the Web in interesting and useful ways.

Once you’ve recorded a video, you then upload it to VIDDIX and use the extra panel that they provide to display other elements alongside your original video. For example, whether you want to display additional text, a link, some pictures, another video, or even a form, you can do all of that and more with VIDDIX. Watch a few of the videos to see how this additional panel looks and works, and as you’ll notice, this is definitely an international service.

TAKEphONE v7.55 is a utility that greatly enhances the capabilities of Treo and Centro address books. TAKEphONE has been extensively reviewed and consistently receives accolades for improving search, dialing, emailing, and SMS on Palm-based smartphones. This application is a perennial best-seller that normally retails for $19.95 but for two days, this Thursday and Friday, April 24 & 25th, we’re going to sell it for only $4.95. That’s 75% off the retail price!

We’ll be publishing this special pricing starting at 7PM PST on Thursday, April 24th, and running until 11:59 PST on Friday, April 25th.

75% off TAKEphONE v7.55 - normally $19.95, only $4.95! More information here.

Word 2007 lets you insert a linked object or embedded object from a file created in Excel.

You can even retain the use of Excel tools to make changes to the data in Word.

To insert a linked object or embedded object from Excel into Word 2007:

1. Open your Word document.
2. Open your Excel spreadsheet.
3. Within Excel, select the cells, worksheet, or chart that you want to copy into Word.
4. From the Edit menu, click Copy.
5. Switch back to your Word document.
6. Place the insertion point where you want the data placed.
7. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the arrow under Paste, and then click Paste Special.
8. In the As list, select Microsoft Office Excel object.
9. Click Paste to insert an embedded object, or click Paste link to insert a link to the object.

There is a quick and easy way to find a list of installed drivers in Vista. Instead of trying to do an exhaustive search and inventory on your computer, you can simply run the ‘driverquery’ command from the command prompt. The output lets you see all the drivers that are currently installed on the computer.

To run the command, open the Command Prompt and type ‘driverquery’. The output will present you with a list of installed drivers. There are also a number of parameters you can run with the command that includes:

• /FO - Specifies the type of output to display. Valid values to be passed with the switch are “Table,” “List,” and “CSV.”
• /V - Displays detailed information. Not valid for signed drivers.
• /SI - Provides information about signed drivers.
• /? - Displays Help information.

Offering the latest in multitasking and multimedia, the dv9700t, a new arrival to HP’s dv9000 series, is a desktop-replacement-level entertainment powerhouse. It’s also packed with innovative optional features, including a fingerprint reader, and it sports HP’s cool new “Radiance” finish.

The dv9700t features the powerful Intel Core Duo and 64-bit New Core 2 Duo processors. With two execution cores on a single chip, it can run multiple multimedia applications in parallel without slowing the system. This model also supports dual hard drives with up to 500 GB of storage (250GB x 2) for accommodating all your digital treasures.

Save $414 on the HP Pavilion dv9700t customizable notebook

Come on down to play The Price Is Right! Feel the thrill of playing in Contestant’s Row and through 16 of the most popular pricing game challenges, including Plinko, Cliff Hangers, Punch-A-Bunch and more!

Try your luck as you spin the Big Wheel for the chance to win fabulous virtual prizes and a huge pay-off in the final Showcase! You can play alone, or invite up to four friends to compete in Party Mode!

Are you ready? Because you are the next contestant on The Price Is Right!

[Download free trial of The Price Is Right]
[Buy The Price Is Right]

Process Lasso is a unique new technology intended to automatically adjust the allocation of CPU cycles so that system responsiveness is improved during high loads. It does this by temporarily lowering the priorities of processes that are consuming too many CPU cycles, thereby giving other processes a chance to run if they are in need.

No longer will a single process bring your system to a stall.

[4.45K] [Win2k/XP/Vista] [FREE]

MediaCoder is an Open Source universal audio/video batch converter that puts together lots of excellent audio/video codecs and tools from the Open Source community into an all-in-one solution, capable of coding among different audio/video formats.

With many extra features and expandable architecture, MediaCoder is more than a GUI of a bunch of command line tools.

[20.54M] [Win95/98/ME/2k/XP/Vista] [FREE]

I’m one of the least qualified people around to give anyone advice on painting since I have no experience or artistic ability to speak of, but on the Internet, I can pretend that I know what I’m doing. There are plenty of services that provide people like me with the tools that we need to become digital artists of sorts, and what’s really cool is that you can sometimes collaborate with people online and learn from what they do while they do it. WebCanvas may be more of an area for graffiti than anything else, but this collaborative painting is open to artists that are both skilled and unskilled.

Anyone can go on WebCanvas, specify a location, and start using the tools to create art. Like I alluded to, saying that a lot of what is on here is art is a bit of a stretch, but at the same time, if you’re willing to find them, some people have created some incredible works of art. The service is live, so if others are painting near you, you’ll see their work and they’ll see yours. As much as you may want to, just try not to erase what others have created. No, seriously. WebCanvas is like a worldwide art project, and you’re invited.

Summer approaches and Gnomie Dan H. (aka starbucks95905 in our chat room) writes in with these tips that may come in handy if you’re planning on visiting a theme park or two:

I just got back from Epcot at Disney World in Orlando and I would like to give a few great tips for visiting theme parks.

1. Before you go, you may want to check out the peak periods of time for crowds at that park, because you don’t want to go when the place is packed.

2. If you don’t have much of a choice for when you visit, try and make the best of longer lines. You may want to bring something to keep you entertained in line, like an iPod or a book.
3. Don’t trust the park-given wait time for rides too much, as they are usually off due to inaccurate methods of getting the times.
4. Put any valuables in bags you have with you or in storage compartments on certain rides.
5. Bring a lunch along. The food at a theme park is always overpriced — not to mention it isn’t great or healthy food either.

I’ve learned from past experiences, and I don’t want anyone to learn the hard way like I’ve been doing. This applies to most big theme parks out there. But there is one thing I would like to say: if you aren’t willing to get tired, don’t go!

When you right click certain items in Windows Explorer, you will see the Map Network Drive option on the shortcut menu. If you never use this option, you can disable it by editing the Vista Registry.

To remove the ‘Map Network Drive’ option:

1. Open regedit.exe from the start menu search box.
2. Within the Registry Editor, navigate to the following registry key: HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ Explorer.
3. From the Edit menu, point to New, and click DWORD.
4. Type NoNetConnectDisconnet and press Enter.
5. Double click the new DWORD value and enter in a value of 1.
6. Exit the Registry Editor.

To verify that the above steps were successful, right click on Computer. You no longer see the Map Network Drive option.