Web

The web is full of useful information, but sometimes a website or even our web browser doesn’t work the way we expect. This section covers some of these problems and solutions.

Everyday Amazon Shopping Tips

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My Amazon home page.

Regardless of the time of year, we have shopping needs whether it’s grocery items or that special gift. Now, some people prefer to just shop during special sales events such as Amazon Prime Days, Cyberweek, or a daily deal. However, I think better savings can be achieved with a slow and steady approach. And while Prime is optional, a Smile is recommended.

How to Find All Your Chrome Extensions and Folders

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Module table showing browser extension info

Many times when troubleshooting browser issues you need to find out all the extensions. This can be a time-consuming process. In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to find all your browser extensions using net-export. The nice thing about this tool is it also shows the extension ID which is the folder name.

How to Fix Web Pages Where Text is Too Wide

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reduce element size

The web is a wonderful place, but sometimes the pages don’t work for me. It’s not the content, but how they display. I’ll find a site where the text is very wide or even full screen. On some monitors, this works well. Other times, the width makes it harder to read the page. Your eyes have to span the full screen and it’s more tiring. But, with the use of your browser and a couple of tweaks, you can fix pages where the text is too wide.

Can Your Eyes Spot this Security Problem?

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example of IDN code in address bar

This is a time when people like to hunt for Easter eggs. Either the traditional ones or the clever ones that are hidden by software vendors. Both of these are fun. However, this one is more a rotten egg and it could cost us dearly if we don’t pay attention. And it all starts with punycodes and fake domains. The good news is there are several workarounds.

How to Make a Picture Smaller

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Squoosh app and controls.

Have you ever had one of those photos that you wanted to share or upload only to find out there was a file size restriction? Professional photographers and designers know how to make a picture smaller. Fortunately, some easy and free online picture optimization services can reduce image file size without sacrificing quality.

How to Change Chrome Notifications

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Push notification example in Chrome

Do you find you’re seeing more browser push notifications? Some of these are quite useful, but others are a result of me clicking to allow something in my haste. This week, I hit the tipping point. Each time the little box would push out from the right side of Chrome, I’d want to smack it. While that might make me feel good, the better solution was to change my browser settings.

Master Big Ideas with Optimize.Me

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Optimize.Me Learning Category.

Are you time-starved? You have too many things to do coupled with too many distractions. This can be a hindrance to personal development. If you feel overwhelmed, you’ll appreciate Optimize. It’s a free service that teaches the key concepts from great non-fiction books in topics ranging from Productivity to Conquering Depression. Best of all, the lessons are easy to fit into your schedule.

Keeping it Simple with Momentum

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momentum dashboard in Chrome

If you’ve ever been overwhelmed by task managers or to do applications, you should check out the Momentum extension that works with Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge or Firefox. It provides a simple dashboard with changing images and quotes. Includes a short video that highlights the key features.

Printing Text in Reverse

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apply rotation value for X axis

Sometimes it’s the little things that trip you up like figuring out how to print text in reverse. I’m not trying to imitate Da Vinci and his mirror fonts. Instead, I was trying to do a t-shirt transfer with a quote. It seems there are many ways to solve this problem. You could also use this technique to baffle your boss with backwards emails.