Secrets Revealed: I Can Do That?
by Kathy Montgomery
Often when I explain a computer feature that solves someone's problem, the reaction I get is something like, "Wow, I had no idea I could do that." Could it be that the key to better computing is already at your fingertips? Here are three universally available features that are among the "best kept secrets" in computing.
E-mail filters. Many people keep hundreds of e-mails in their inboxes and then struggle to find the time to sort through them. Many e-mail services and applications -- notably Gmail and Outlook -- have the ability to automatically sort your e-mail based on criteria you choose. You can file messages, delete them, forward them, and more -- all before you even look at them.
Web favorites. There's no need to try to remember important web addresses. When you go to a web site you want to return to in the future, just save it as a "favorite" or "bookmark" (in Internet Explorer or Firefox, respectively). Then you can open your favorites and return to your saved sites at will.
Computer searching. Never lose an important document again! Use your computer's search feature to locate a file anywhere on your computer. You can search based on a file's name, contents, type, or even when it was created.
The exact details of each of these features is more than can fit in a short article, but to uncover these "hidden" treasures, the how-to can be found in your computer's built-in help.
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