Internet Tips from the Web: November, 2006

10 safe search sites for kids

Search sites like Google can give you millions of links. But a significant number of potential search results are unsuitable for children. Even seemingly mundane search words can bring surprises.

Some search sites offer filtering of adult content. Google, Yahoo! and MSN are a few examples. By default, only image searches are filtered. Changes that you make are saved to a cookie. If you periodically clear out cookies, you'll lose your preferences.

Search sites designed specifically for kids are better. Most use human editors instead of automated Web crawlers. Results approved by real people make Web searches safer. Another benefit is the lack of advertising in search results.

Following are 10 search sites built for kids. Consider setting one as the start page for your Web browser.

1. AOL@SCHOOL The site features a large directory of educational sites. They're categorized by subject. Education professionals approve content added to the directory.

2. Ask for Kids Ask for Kids offers results from a database maintained by human editors. The site links to puzzle games and kids' news sites. You can also find links to a dictionary and thesaurus. Homework help sites are sorted by subject.

3. Awesome Library This site provides sections for youngsters, teenagers and college students. All content is child friendly, as determined by human editors. An interesting category in the kids section is "Ask a Question." It lists sites that answer questions on subjects from grammar to dinosaurs.

4. Fact Monster The site offers an online dictionary, encyclopedia and atlas. Another major feature is the homework help section. Topics and tools are listed by subject. Also included are biographies and important timelines.

5. KidsClick! KidsClick! sites are chosen by librarians for kids in grades K-7. Children can browse the collection. Controversial topics are allowed if sites are educational and age-appropriate.

6. MSN Kids Search This site is intended for kids 8 to 12. It features a filtered subset of MSN's database. Browse by category. Included are kids' blogs.

7. Pics4Learning This site assembles pictures donated by teachers, students and amateur photographers. Categories are suitable for use in student work or lesson plans. The search has impressive accuracy.

8. SearchEdu SearchEdu uses Google to search sites with ".edu" addresses. The results help you discover homework help from various universities. The SearchEdu site also lists links to online calculators and references.

9. ThinkQuest Library Since 1996, software giant Oracle has held an annual competition called ThinkQuest. Students 12 to 19 design educational Web sites in a dozen categories. The winners are included in the ThinkQuest Library. Anyone can search or browse the collection. Categories include math, science, geography and health.

10. Yahooligans! The site is designed by Yahoo! for kids 7 to 12. Human editors review and approve all content. Yahooligans! offers games, videos, music and educational reading.

Choosing a surge suppressor to protect digital gear

A surge suppressor will protect your computer from power spikes. But don't confuse suppressors with power strips.

First, look at the suppressed voltage rating. This is the maximum voltage that the suppressor will allow through the line. The lower the number, the better - I'd buy one that's rated at 330v.

Also consider energy dissipation. This is how much power the suppressor can absorb. Don't go any lower than 800 joules, but here, higher numbers are better. Since you're using a cable modem, find one that has a connection for the cable line. You can also find ones that protect your phone line, as well.

Grumpy Age Gauge

This will really make you laugh but feel a little old, too.... Put your birth date in the pop up window after you click on the below link. What happens is pretty interesting. It's also amazing how quickly it computes!! Click on the link below:

http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1.html

Help for stroke victim from Kim Komando radio show

Q. My husband recently had a stroke. He can no longer use the keyboard. He has tried using Dragon Naturally Speaking, but his voice changes, so Dragon doesn't work well. He really wants to continue using the computer. Can you help us?

A. This is actually a question I received on my radio show. I told the caller I would research the issue and do a Tip of the Day.

Well, I didn't have to do any research, because I got several responses from my wonderful listeners. They're listed below, in no particular order.

1. Brian, a college student, wrote from Allendale, MI. He also has disabilities, so he checked with the campus assistive technology coordinator. He was told that Read and Write Gold worked well for a student who had had a stroke. That program is made by Texthelp, and costs $645.

2. Gordon Harris, president of Gus Communications, said he had received a number of calls from my listeners. Even the FedEx delivery guy called--twice! Gus Communications makes a number of assistive devices for stroke victims, and for people with other disabilities.

3. Mark told me about two Web sites that aggregate information for people with disabilities. The Alliance for Technology Access is a network of organizations and individuals who are dedicated to improving access for people with disabilities. AssistiveTech.net has links to much disability-related information. It is run by the Georgia Tech Center for Assistive Technology & Environmental Access.

4. I received a note from Harold in Orland Park, IL. He formerly sold Dragon Naturally Speaking. He said he would be glad to help you work with it. Harold asked that I share his e-mail address with you, which I have done privately.

5. Faisal wrote to say he has multiple sclerosis, and he has the same problem with his voice changing. He recommended discrete-speech software. These programs require a stop after every word. (Dragon Naturally Speaking is continuous-speech software.) He recommended DragonDictate. I'm not sure that program is still made. ScanSoft makes Dragon now; I checked its Web site and could not find Dictate. Perhaps Harold (No. 4) can help you find a copy.

6. Gene, in Austin, TX, suggested that you check out The Cyberlink, a brain-actuated program that allows hands-free computing. It is made by Brain Actuated Technologies. Your husband would wear a headband. According to the Cyberlink Web site, the computer can be controlled through brainwaves, facial muscles and eye movements.

I suggest you check with the American Stroke Association to see what else is available.

Folks, we're all in this together. I spend a lot of time researching security problems, and sometimes it seems that everyone is a crook.

Thanks for reminding me that the world is full of great people. And thanks for helping this stroke victim and others who may benefit from today's tip. You rock!

How to backup your phone contacts

Cell phones outshine landline phones in several ways. One of the most useful features is the address book. You might store a few dozen contacts, or a few hundred.

Your address book may ease the burden on your memory. But that convenience is a double-edged sword. A lost or damaged phone could spell catastrophe. A backup can prevent the loss of those contacts.

There are plenty of cell phone backup options. Some allow you to store your address book online. They typically assume that you have an Internet-capable phone and data plan.

Free backup services

For example, Yahoo!'s free Mobile Contacts Back-up service is available to Cingular and T-Mobile subscribers. It allows you to store your phone contacts in a Yahoo! Address Book. You must have a Yahoo! ID, or register for one. Registration is free. The option to synchronize address books automatically depends on your phone model.

ZYB is another free backup service. You can back up or access your contact list through the site. Though the service is still in beta (testing phase), it boasts over two million customers. Backups must be done manually.

ZYB can handle any cellular provider. However, your phone must be compatible.

Backup service subscriptions

Other backup options are available for small monthly fees. Cingular offers its own address book backup as part of its VoiceDial service. Your online VoiceDial Address Book can store up to 2,000 contacts. VoiceDial adds $4.99 to your monthly bill.

MightyBackup is available to customers of Verizon, Alltel and a few smaller providers. It allows you to schedule recurring backups online. MightyBackup's site offers instructions for activating the service through specific cellular providers. Pricing is $1.99 per month.

Sprint's Wireless Backup is available for $2 per month. The selection of compatible phones is limited. It currently includes Samsung models a580 and a640, and Sanyo models SCP-2400 and SCP-8400. According to Sprint, you can sign up through your phone. Navigate the phone's menus to Settings>>Wireless Backup>>Subscribe.

There are also options for those who prefer to keep contacts offline. You can back up to your hard drive or a thumb drive. Check out my buying guide for hardware and a list of cell phone backup programs.

Removing addresses from your browser's address bar

Addresses come from your browser's history. You can get rid of the addresses that appear in the address bar by clearing out your history.

It varies from browser to browser, but it is quite easy. In Firefox, click Tools>>Options. Click Privacy and open the History tab. Click Clear Browsing History Now. Additionally, you can change how many days Firefox remembers visited pages. Click OK.

In Internet Explorer, click Tools>>Internet Options. On the General tab, click Clear History. Again, you can specify the number of days pages are kept in history. When you're done, click OK.

Save time with browser shortcuts

Do you want to use the Web more efficiently? Start using the keyboard. Every browser has its own shortcut keys.

These keystrokes are similar to those used in popular software programs. In many cases, keystrokes do the same thing in different programs. But browsers have unique keystrokes, too. Here's a selection of handy shortcuts for Microsoft Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari.

Internet Explorer and Firefox:

Arrow keys: Scroll the page up and down or horizontally.

Page Up: Scrolls the page up one screen.

Page Down: Scrolls the page down one screen.

Home: Takes you to the top of the page.

End: Takes you to the bottom of the page.

Ctrl + F: Searches within the page.

Ctrl + R: Reloads the current page.

Esc: Stops loading the page.

Ctrl + P: Prints the page.

Alt + right arrow: Takes you forward a page.

Alt + left arrow: Takes you back a page.

Alt + Home: Takes you to your starting page.

Ctrl + D: Adds the current page to your Favorites or Bookmarks.

Ctrl + S: Saves the page.

Ctrl + C: Copies selected items.

Ctrl + A: Selects all content on the page.

Ctrl + H: Shows your history.

Ctrl + N: Opens a new window.

Ctrl + W: Closes an open window.

Alt: Allows you to navigate the menu with the arrow keys.

Internet Explorer only:

Alt + D: Lets you use the address bar.

Ctrl + I: Shows your Favorites.

Firefox only:

Ctrl + +: Increases the text size.

Ctrl + -: Decreases the text size.

Ctrl + 0: Makes text default size.

Ctrl + B: Shows your Bookmarks.

Ctrl + Shift + D: Adds all tabs to your Bookmarks.

One of the best features in Firefox is the tabbed browsing. It allows you to have several Web pages open in the same window. Firefox has shortcuts to help you manage tabs and navigate between them.

Ctrl + T: Opens a new tab.

Ctrl + W: Closes the current tab.

Ctrl + Tab: Moves to the next tab.

Ctrl + Shift + Tab: Moves to the previous tab.

Safari:

Arrow keys: Scrolls up and down or horizontally.

Space bar: Scrolls down a screen.

Shift + Space bar: Scrolls up a screen.

Ctrl + click link: Opens link in a new window.

Cmd + F: Searches within the current page.

Cmd + D: Bookmarks the current page.

Cmd + B: Shows Bookmarks.

Cmd + P: Prints the current window.

Cmd + A: Selects the contents of the entire page.

Cmd + C: Copies selected text.

Cmd + S: Saves the current page.

Cmd + R: Reloads the current page.

Cmd + N: Opens a new window.

Cmd + W: Closes an open window.

Cmd + Q: Closes Safari.

Cmd +, : Opens Safari preferences.

Cmd + \: Displays the status bar.