Clients often ask me about the environmentally responsible way to dispose of their old computers, and it's often not an easy question to answer. There is no law requiring NYC residents to recycle old computer equipment, and the city doesn't provide an easy way to properly dispose of an old computer. What the Department of Sanitation DOES offer is an electronics collection event that is held twice a year in each of the five boroughs. If you can manage to find some temporary storage space for your old machine, bringing it to one of these recycling events when the time rolls around is a relatively painless way to be socially responsible. (more…)

Today is the official launch of Windows Vista, the successor to Windows XP, which runs on the vast majority of PC's in the world today.  Microsoft is kicking off the venture with loads of events and advertising… Bill Gates gave a speech in Times Square, and I even heard something about a "human billboard"?

First the Wait for Microsoft Vista; Now the Marketing Barrage - New York Times

…but they do now.  Quizlet is a new site that lets you enter a data set, and it will help you memorize.  It's a little more savvy then typical paper flash cards, as it will constantly mix up the list and quiz you in different ways which they claim will help in the learning process.  I, for one, am buying in to it (even though it's free).

Quizlet - The End of Flashcards

Plain Cellphones Can Overachieve, With a Little Help - New York Times

Hey, you don't have to have the latest hot gadget cell phone/Blackberry device to be more productive with your cell phone.  This article in the Times explains how even the most basic cell phones can become powerful productivity tools.

A First Look at Windows Vista - TIME

For those of your who are still wondering what the deal is with Windows Vista, Microsoft's new operating system which will be released in a matter of days- here's a great article in Time magazine which sums up what Vista really means for the average computer user.

Don't Call. Don't Write. Let Me Be. - New York Times

Great little article in the New York Times about how to get yourself off of the numerous junk mail, phone, and SPAM email lists out there. Reduce your clutter and increase your productivity.

Madison Avenue Calling - New York Times
People often say they do not like advertisements, but that may change if the ads start lowering their cellphone bills.

Ask Lifehacker: How do I clean a computer's hard drive before I sell it? - Lifehacker

I am often asked about getting rid of personal files and data on an old computer before getting rid of it.  Lifehacker has written a step-by-step procedure that should work pretty well for the average computer user.  It's only a slightly advanced procedure…

How to create the perfect password - Lifehacker

More on creating passwords that are really hard to guess (even for a computer), but really easy to remember.

Bruce Schneier on how to choose secure passwords - Lifehacker

I have observed that very few of my clients place importance on the "strength" of the passwords they choose for their online email, banking, shopping activities.  The most common mistake I witness is choosing the same password to use for every site.  You should have at least several passwords which you can alternate from time to time.  Also, always try and choose passwords that are improbable or hard to guess- including capitalization and numbers will help as well.

It is important to learn about creating strong passwords, especially as we progress farther into the information age, where unauthorized access to your online services could prove disastrous.

Visit the link above to an article from Lifehacker which provides further guidance on choosing a strong password.