All PC Tips

So what if you don’t have Microsoft Excel? There are many alternative applications to Excel. Here is a list of those alternate programs to Excel.

1. Google Spreadsheets: Google spreadsheets is  part of Google Docs. You can create spreadsheets or even open an excel file from here. If you already have a gmail account, you maybe already using it. Just click on http://docs.google.com to reach google spreadsheets
2. Zoho Sheets: It is also similar to google spreadsheets and is available at http://sheet.zoho.com. You can even edit and share the same file with your friends or colleagues just as google docs enables you.
3. EditGrid: This is an online spreadsheet service. This has all the features of Excel. Available at http://www.editgrid.com
4. NumSum: Available at http://numsum.com this application also enables online creation, sharing of spreadsheets.
5. Simple Spreadsheet: You can get it from http://www.simplegroupware.de/cms/Spreadsheet/Home .
6. Wikicalc: Get this application from  http://www.softwaregarden.com/products/wikicalc
7. Zcubes Calci: This is also another spreadsheet application available online.

As you can see all the above applications are available online in internet and there is no need to install any application on your computer. If on the other hand if you would prefer to install as an application on your desktop and use it, without internet connection, then you can use the following applications which are available as desktop applications.

1. Open Office Calc: This is part of the Open Office suite of applications.
2. IBM Lotus Symphony Spreadsheets: Available at http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotus/symphony/home.nsf/product_sse
3. Abykus: Available at http://www.abykus.com
4. Gnumeric: This is part of the Gnome desktop
5. Spread32: Available at http://www.xtort.net/officeandproductivity/floppyoffice/

Here is a list of shortcut keys in Microsoft Excel.

1. F1: Opens a help task pane
2. F1 + Ctrl: Opens or closes the help window
3. F2: To edit the text in the active cell
4. F2 + Shift: To write a comment in the active cell
5. F2 + Alt: Opens the save as dialog box
6. F3 + Shift: opens the insert dialog box
7. F3 + Ctrl: Opens the define name dialog box
8. F3 + Shift + Ctrl:  Opens the create name dialog box
9. F4:  To redo the last command
10. F4 + Ctrl: To close the workbook window
11. F4 + Alt: To close the excel program
12. F5: Opens the Goto dialog box
13. F5 + Ctrl: brings back to the first level of workbook
14. F6: To shift between help taskbar and the excel window
15. F6 + Shift: To goto the previous square in the open worksheet
16. F6 + Ctrl: If more than one workbook is open to switch between them
17. F7: To open spelling correction window
18. F7 + Ctrl: When workbook window is not maximised it will move the window
19. F8: To activate / deactivate extended mode
20. F9: Will calculate all the worksheets in all open workbooks
21. F9 + Shift: Will calculate the active worksheet
22. F9 + Ctrl: To Minimise the workbook window
23. F10: Will select the menu bar
24. F10 + Ctrl: To open minimised window
25. F11: Will create a chart using the current range
26. F11 + Shift: To select a new worksheet
27. F11 + Alt: To switch between visual basic editor and the worksheet
28. F11 + Alt + Shift: Opens microsoft script editor
29. F12: Opens save as dialog box
30. F12 + Shift: Saves the active workbook
31. F12 + Ctrl: To open the Open dialog box
32. F12 + Ctrl + Shift: Opens the print dialog box

Open Office is an open source software that resembles Microsoft Office in terms of features. As it is open source, tons of volunteer programmers worldwide improve and add features to it continuously. Some of the new features in Open Office are:

1. Ribbon Style Interface: When Microsoft introduced ribbon style interface in its Office suite of applications, it was a bit difficult to get adjusted to it. However, it has proved to be easy to use and has improved user experience. Hence, the same interface type is now available in Open Office as well. This is called Ribbon Style Interface 3.3
2. Thesaurus on right click:  Open Office now includes a context menu that gives useful utilities on right click such as Thesaurus.
3. Find Bar:  A Find bar has been included which enables easy searching especially in a large document.
4. Calc Sheet Tabs in different colors: This may seem as a simple feature. But when you implement this and use this in a calc spreadsheet you will know the real use.
5. Some of the other features are distributed SCM, SVG, Importer, Flash Animation, More fonts, templates, Clip arts, builders and much more.

While working with computer files we take copies of them and use them. But most of the times we forget to delete duplicate copies. Sometimes we save the file in the desktop or temp folders and backup folders. So multiple copies of the same file exists in the hard disk. This takes up hard disk space.

Only when we reach the hard disk space limit we realize this. But it will be too late to find the duplicate files. Fortunately there are some utilities available that can find duplicate files automatically and remove them. “Easy Duplicate Finder” is one such useful utility available from the internet.

You can find the file to download at http://www.easyduplicatefinder.com. This program does not affect system files and folders. Then it will show you a list of duplicate files and let you decide which ones to delete.

What is Google Buzz? Well it is definitely a threat to the likes of facebook and twitter.

As far as searching is concerned, Google is the defacto standard for internet users. But when it comes to social networking to keep in touch with friends and family, usually sites like facebook, myspace, twitter etc are used.

Google Buzz may change this.  Google Buzz adds social networking functions such as the ability to share links, photos, videos and status updates with friends from GMAIL. So Google has finally extended the gmail users with the social networking tools to keep in touch with their contacts who are already in gmail.

Google Buzz is also accessible from smartphones. That makes it even more interesting. Though it is officially launched some gmail users still do not have buzz enabled for their account. As google is enabling buzz for gmail users in steps. So if you are a gmail user and you don’t have the BUZZ yet, not to worry. When it is avaiable you will automatically see it when you login.

For those who have been working on a desktop computer for a long time and switched to laptops, the major problem is getting adjusted with the smaller keyboard. Another problem is when typing on the laptop keyboard, the thumb sometimes touches the keypad and the cursor moves to another space.

This problem usually goes away with experience. More experienced laptop users do not face this issue, as they get adjusted to the new keyboard layout over time.

However, TouchFreeze is a free utility that can be used to freeze and activate touch pad automatically. If TouchFreeze is installed, it automatically freezes the touchpad and when you stop typing, it will automatically enable the touch pad again. To download TouchFreeze goto  http://code.google.com/p/touchfreeze/downloads/list

Even wondered how to download youtube videos to your computer hard disk? If you did a search on google to find out free applications that can download youtube videos, there are quite a few of them available.

But some of them add advertisement, or only download 60 to 70 % of the video, and if you want to download the 100% video, you may have to buy it.

Here is a free 100% online download site which enables you to download in two different formats. MPEG4 and FLA formats. All you need to do is goto youtube.com and find your favourite video.

Eg. http ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yY9793NCGxI

Now replace y in youtube with 3

So the URL now becomes

http://www.3outube.com/watch?v=yY9793NCGxI

This will bring you to a page where you can select which file format you want to download. MPEG4 or FLA.

Just click on the file format you want and the youtube video will be downloaded to your hard disk. It is that simple.

IPad is the next device from Apple in line with IPod, IPod Touch and IPhone.

IPad has a large touch screen and makes internet browsing, emailing easier and much more interesting. Almost 140000 applications are available on IPad from day one. Listed here are the features of IPad. IPad maynot be available commercially in your countries. But it is sure to come with a bang.

Features of Apple IPad

Safari

The large Multi-Touch screen on iPad lets you see web pages as they were meant to be seen — one page at a time. With vibrant color and sharp text. So whether you’re looking at a page in portrait or landscape, you can see everything at a size that’s actually readable. And with iPad, navigating the web has never been easier or more intuitive. Because you use the most natural pointing device there is: your finger. Scroll through a page just by flicking your finger up or down on the screen. Or pinch to zoom in or out on a photo. There’s also a thumbnail view that shows all your open pages in a grid, to let you quickly move from one page to the next.

Mail

See and touch your email in ways you never could before. In landscape, you get a split-screen view showing both an opened email and the messages in your inbox. To see the opened email by itself, turn iPad to portrait, and the email automatically rotates and fills the screen. No matter which orientation you use, you can scroll through your mail, compose a new email using the large, onscreen keyboard, or delete messages with nothing more than a tap and a flick. If someone emails you a photo, you can see it right in the message. You can also save the photos in an email directly to the built-in Photos app. And iPad works with all the most popular email providers, including MobileMe, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, and AOL.

Photos

With its crisp, vibrant display and unique software features, iPad is an extraordinary way to enjoy and share your photos. For example, the Photos app displays the photos in an album as though they were in a stack. Just tap the stack, and the whole album opens up. From there, you can flip through your pictures, zoom in or out, or watch a slideshow. You can even use your iPad as a beautiful digital photo frame while it’s is docked or charging. And there are lots of ways to import photos: You can sync them from your computer, download them from an email, or import them directly from your camera using the optional Camera Connection Kit.

Video

The large, high-resolution screen makes iPad perfect for watching any kind of video: from HD movies and TV shows to podcasts and music videos. Switch between widescreen and full screen with a double-tap. Because iPad is essentially one big screen, with no distracting keypad or buttons, you feel completely immersed in whatever you’re watching.

YouTube

The YouTube app organizes videos so they’re easy to see and navigate. To watch one, just tap it. When you’re watching in landscape, the video automatically plays in full screen. And with its high-resolution display, iPad makes the latest HD YouTube videos look positively amazing.

iPod

With the iPod app, all your music is literally at your fingertips. Browse by album, song, artist, or genre with a simple flick. To play a song, just tap it. iPad even displays album art at full size. Listen to your music with the powerful built-in speaker or with wired or Bluetooth wireless headphones.

iTunes

A tap of the iTunes store icon lets you browse and buy music, TV shows, and podcasts — or buy and rent movies — wirelessly, right from your iPad. Choose from thousands of movies and TV shows (in both standard and high definition), along with thousands of podcasts and millions of songs. Preview songs before you buy them. Or just sync iPad with the content you already have in your iTunes library on your Mac or PC.

App Store

iPad runs almost 140,000 apps from the App Store. Everything from games to business apps and more. And new apps designed specially for iPad are highlighted, so you can easily find the ones that take full advantage of its features. Just tap the App Store icon on the screen to browse, buy, and download apps wirelessly, right to the iPad.

iBooks

The iBooks app is a great new way to read and buy books.* Download the free app from the App Store and buy everything from classics to best sellers from the built-in iBookstore. Once you’ve bought a book, it’s displayed on your Bookshelf. Just tap it to start reading. The high-resolution, LED-backlit screen displays everything in sharp, rich color, so it’s easy to read, even in low light.

Maps

Finding your way is a completely new experience on iPad. Tap to view maps from above with high-resolution satellite imagery, up close with street view, or with topography in a new terrain view — all using Google Services. Search for a nearby restaurant or landmark, then get directions from your current location.

Notes

With its expansive display and large, onscreen keyboard, iPad makes jotting down notes easy. In landscape view, you see not only a note-taking page but a list of all your notes. iPad even circles the current note in red, so you can see where you are at a glance.

Calendar

iPad makes it easy to stay on schedule by displaying day, week, month, or list views of your calendar. You can see an overview of a whole month or the details of a single day. iPad even shows multiple calendars at once, so you can manage work and family schedules at the same time.

Contacts

The Contacts app on iPad makes finding names, numbers, and other important information quicker and easier than ever before. A new view lets you see both your complete contacts list and a single contact simultaneously. Need directions? Tap an address inside a contact and iPad automatically opens Maps.

Home Screen

The Home Screen gives you one-tap access to everything on iPad. You can customize your Home Screen by adding your favorite apps and websites or using your own photos as the background. And you can move apps around to arrange them in any order you want.

Spotlight Search

Spotlight Search allows you to search across iPad and all of its built-in apps, including Mail, Contacts, Calendar, iPod, and Notes. It even searches apps you’ve downloaded from the App Store. So no matter what you’re looking for, it’s never more than a few taps away.

Ctrl+Shift+O: To select all the cells with comments. If there are no cells with contents then you will get ‘No cells found’ message.

Ctrl+[ : To show which are the related cells in the selected formula.

Ctrl+] : To show the related formulas of the selected cell.

Shift+Arrow key : The selection will be extended to one more adjacent cell.

Ctrl+Shift+Arrow key : The selection will be extended to the last cell with data either horizontally or vertically based on your current selection.

Shift+Home : The selection will  be extended to the first cell horizontally.

Ctrl+Shift+Home : Selection will be extended to the first cell in the worksheet.

Ctrl+Shift+End: Selection will be extended until the last cell in the worksheet/.

Enter: Cursor will be moved to the next cell below the current cell.

In Windows 7, the usual size of the Windows Taskbar is a bit larger than usual. This takes some extra space at the bottom of the computer screen. This makes selecting the applications easier as the buttons are bigger. However for those who are using smaller screens this may be a bit annoying as it takes more space on the screen. If you want you can make the size of the taskbar smaller by following the steps below.

1. In a blank space in the taskbar right click and select properties.
2. You will see the ‘Taskbar and Start Menu Properties’ dialog box with many tabs.
3. Here click ‘Use small icons’ and select it.
4. Now click OK and close the dialog box.

Now the task bar will occupy smaller space. If you want you can also hide the task bar when not required. If you want to hide the task bar, in step 2 above, select the ‘Taskbar’tab, and in ‘Taskbar appearance’, select ‘Autohide the taskbar’. If you choose this, if you bring the mouse to the bottom of the screen the taskbar will appear and if you move away from the task bar, it will be hidden.