Data Doctors - Weekly Newsletter

Tip of the Week: Answers to common Windows 7 upgrade questions

The possible combinations for upgrading from an old computer and operating system to Windows 7 are quite numerous and creating a lot of questions for many do-it-yourselfers.

Ed Bott at ZDNet.com has compiled a nice resource for common questions by those pondering the update or if you don't want to deal with the brain damage, contact your nearest Data Doctors location!

Headwhack of the Week: Resetting your default mail program

If you have the problem of clicking on an e-mail address on the Internet and it launches the wrong e-mail program, it's probably because you changed programs and didn't inform your browser.

If you are using Internet Explorer, you can change your default programs by going to the Tools menu, then clicking on Internet Options, then on the Programs tab. Click on the pull down menu for the E-mail option and select your desired program.

In Firefox, click on the Tools menu, then on Options, then click on the Applications button at the top. Scroll down to the 'mailto' option, then click on the pull down menu to the right to make your selection.

BONUS TIPS: Gmail users will notice that Microsoft doesn't include it as an option in IE, so if you want it to become your default mail program, simply install the Gmail Notifier!

Yahoo! Mail users that want to make IE use it as the default mail program can get the instructions here!

Geek Speak of the Week: PPC

Pay Per Click - An Internet advertising system developed in 1998 by GoTo.com that charges advertisers only if a visitor clicks on the ad. Google's meteoric rise to power was primarily based on the PPC revenue generated by all their search traffic.

Security: Bank Trojan botnet targets Facebook users

On the heels of the fake Facebook e-mail scam (we warned about via our Facebook Fan page earlier this week), a researcher warned on Wednesday of another such campaign in which users of the popular social network are being tricked into revealing their passwords and downloading a Trojan that steals financial data.

News: The real cost of today's most popular smartphones

The truth is, as they say, in the fine print. This sentiment is no truer than in the world of mobile phones. Plenty is written about the price of handsets, but - especially in the U.S. - that price is nearly always followed by an asterisk. If you want the subsidized price, you're going to have to sign a two-year contract with the phone's wireless carrier.

See the math for the DROID, iPhone, MyTouch, HTC Hero and Samsung Code here!

News: 12 Gadgets That Let You Ditch Cords, Wires, and Hassles

Our tech lives are entangled in wires. Nearly every electronic gadget and gizmo we buy comes with its own charger, and don't forget the additional cables for transferring data, listening to audio, and so on. Wouldn't it be nice to cut the cords and go completely wireless?

Data Doctors Video on Cnn.com: Windows 7 upgrade confusion

One of the most common mistakes that folks seem to be making when buying the Windows 7 upgrade is not paying attention to which 'bit' version they are getting. Get the scoop by watching this week's segment!

Watch the video and help our rankings on CNN.com! You can watch us live AT OUR NEW TIME every Wednesday afternoon at 2:30PM Pacific, 5:30PM Eastern or watch the archived versions of our segments whenever you want at CNN.com/video.

Weekly Advice Column: Pros & Cons of 64-bit Windows 7

64-bit versions of Windows have been around since Windows XP, but opting for the faster version of the OS in the past meant lots of compatibility issues.

Windows 7 is poised to change all of that, but before you assume that the 64-bit version is your best bet, read this week's advice column!

This Week's Show: The The Internet at 40

While there are competing thoughts on the actual event that is deemed 'the birth of the Internet', everyone agees that it all started in 1969.

On Sept. 12th, the first two remote machines of the DOD funded ARPAnet were connected.

On October 29th, the first message was sent between the remote systems; "The day that the Internet uttered its first words".

Regardless of the details, the Internet has become the most transforming technology in the history of mankind.

This week, the Data Doctors take a look back at the road that led to what we all take for granted today as we celebrate the Internet's 40th anniversary.

Join us Saturdays from 12:00PM-2:00PM (Pacific) on News 92.3 KTAR or listen LIVE via the Internet at KTAR.com as we discuss your computer questions at: 602.277.5827 or ask your questions during (or before) the broadcast using the ask a question page.