You may be asking yourself what this means for you. For those who have websites, your website will run faster and allow you to drive efficient experiences. For those who have not created their website yet, never fear – things are going to get much, much easier.

All websites are developed using HTML, which is the blueprint for the way your website is going to look and feel. The process for adding any additional graphical or multimedia content requires the use of third-party extensions. This is the current standard, but it makes things slower for the user. For those who have ever created their own website, you are probably aware that previous versions of html can become complicated.

With the invention of HTML5, that multimedia and graphical content will be integrated into the base code of your website. This essentially cuts out the middle man plug-ins, such as JavaScript, and XHTML, making websites load faster for the users.

There are multiple new features being integrated into HTML5 that you should be excited about:

1. Canvas – Tired of waiting for flash player to load?  Canvas will eliminate the need to download and constantly update your flash player.
2. Timed media playback – know that your users might find a certain section of your website difficult? Set a help tutorial to display after a certain amount of time spent on the more complicated sections of your website.
3. Offline storage database – Goodbye cookies, they will become obsolete as the new form of storage is much more secure for both the user and the host.

Apple users rejoice! Safari is the first browser to become almost 100 percent compatible with this new upcoming standard. Windows based users are not too far behind – Firefox 6.0, and Google Chrome browsers are both nearly 95 percent compatible at the moment, and updates are being pushed out to make the release of HTML5 a smooth transition for everyone.

Eagerly awaiting this new and exciting standard? Verify that your web browser is compatible, and compare your scores with your colleagues at http://html5test.com.

We hope that this information has been helpful and remember if you have any questions or need computer repair or remote tech support, call Tech Helpline.

Contributions to this article were made by Devin Sag, Tech Helpline Technical Analyst

Windows Vista and Windows 7 are both great operating systems with some features that are undiscovered by many of their users. In this edition of Tech Helpline’s Lifeline, we explore the options you have as a Windows Vista or Windows 7 user to back up your computer and files.

Complete PC Backup

If you own Windows Vista Business, Ultimate or Windows 7 Home Premium, you have access to the ability to completely back up your computer in case of a catastrophic hard drive crash or powerful virus. This is the best form of backup and all it requires is an external hard drive and time to set aside to start the process.

In Windows Vista Business and Ultimate:
Click the Start button on the lower left-hand corner. Type in “Backup” but do not press enter. Look for “Backup Status and Configuration” to appear in the search list and click on that. Click on “Complete PC Backup.” Click “Create a backup now” and follow the prompts to select the external device (external hard drive, usually) onto which you’d like to back up your computer. You will be asked which drive to back up.; usually this is the “C:” drive.

In Windows 7:
Click the Start button on the lower left-hand corner. Type in “Backup” but do not press enter. Look for “Back up your computer” to appear in the search list and click on that. Click on “Create a system image.” Select the external device (external hard drive, usually) to which you will be backing up your computer. You will be asked which drive to back up; usually this is the “C:” drive.

The process may take an hour or more. The Complete PC backup is for major backups. Follow with regular backups as instructed below to have the latest inventory of your more important files backed up  while using the complete backup as a good starting point to recover from in case of a crash.


Windows Vista and 7′s built-in backup features

Windows Vista and 7 hold the tools to also periodically back up your more important files on a regular schedule. This process is rather quick and painless. Being that this exists in windows itself, you can use this process on any computer manufactured in the last four years with Windows on it.

In Windows Vista:
Click the Start button on the lower left-hand corner. Type in “Backup” but do not press enter. Look for “Backup Status and Configuration” to appear in the search list and click on that then click on “Back Up Files”. Click “Set up automatic file backup” and follow the prompts to select the external device (external hard drive or USB Flash drive, typically) to which you would like to back up your files. You will then be presented with options for which files you would like to back up.

In Windows 7:
Click the Start button on the lower left-hand corner. Type in “Backup” but do not press enter. Look for “Back up your computer” to appear in the search list and click on that and then click on “Set up backup”. Select the external device (external hard drive or USB Flash drive, typically) to which you will be backing up your files. You will then be presented with options for which files you would like to back up, including allowing Windows to choose for you (recommended).


Backing up a computer is essential for keeping your valuable documents, photos and records around. Just a few minutes of your time can save you from unnecessary stress, anxiety, and in the case of businesses, lost revenue.

Contributions to this article were made by Allen Williams, Tech Helpline Technical Analyst

About Tech Helpline
The Tech Helpline goal is to provide superior technology support services to all. We have been in operation for ten years, and our talented, US-based analysts share a passion for technology and are here to help you with your technology questions.

E-book Readers
An e-book (electronic book) is a text and image based publication in digital form that can be read using a hand held device called an e-book reader. There are several advantages to using this method over traditional print media.
1. There are over 2 million free books available for download, including all fiction from before the year 1900.
2. E-book websites can include the ability to translate books into many different languages.
3. E-books are generally cheaper to purchase compared to other traditional media.
4. An e-book can be purchased, borrowed, downloaded and used immediately.

The e-book reader market is highly saturated, giving consumers many options. There are some e-book features to consider before purchasing a model.

Screen
While there are multiple different screen variations, the two most popular are e-ink and LCD. The LCD screens will illuminate your text making it ideal for reading in low light conditions. The e-ink screen, however, will offer a more natural look that mimics how a paperback might read. The screen size can vary from 5” to 10”. Note: the bigger the screen, the heavier the device. Some of the 10” e-book readers can be quite cumbersome to work with and can fatigue you quickly because of their associated weight.

Capacity
Capacity is the amount of storage space on the hard drive within the device. Some e-book readers offer the ability to expand the storage through the use of a MICROSD card. Be sure to check the initial storage as well as the ability to expand onboard storage, especially if you are an avid reader.

Additional Features and Compatibility
The varieties of e-book readers come from their additional features and compatibility with a variety of e-book formats. The most common additional features are 802.11b/g/3g connectivity, online newspaper subscriptions, integrated dictionary, touch screen, text-to-speech and web browsing. Compatibility is also important to consider when deciding on a reader. Some readers will only read proprietary formats associated with the manufacturer’s distributor and library. Make sure to check if your reader will work with your e-book library.

Price
Price is most often the deciding factor for most e-book reader purchases. There are several entry level e-book readers (e.g., Kindle, The Nook) starting at or around $139.00 USD. You will most often get the best price by purchasing your e-book online. If you have a local computer store nearby, you may want to visit it to “get a feel” for the device before purchasing it online.

Remember to contact Tech Helpline for your computer support needs. Form Individual Memberships, please click here.

While every printer brand and model will differ slightly in their capabilities, there are some common printer repair tips that can be applied across the board. We’ve compiled a list of common printer issues and have provided steps on how to resolve them.

Toner
If your documents are not printing properly (i.e., blank pages, smudges, horizontal or vertical lines, or barely visible ink), it’s probably a problem with the toner or toner cartridge. Try cleaning the printer with a lint-free cloth or compressed air. You may want to purchase a cleaning kit to keep handy, which would include items to clean the printer regularly. After cleaning it, print a test page (click Start > Control Panel > Printer and Faxes > right click Properties > Print Test Page).

If the problem still remains, try installing a new toner cartridge. Print another test page to see if that corrects the issue. If you still have problems after adding a new toner cartridge, check the printer’s display window to see if it provides any error messages. If so, you may need to check your owner’s manual for further instructions.

Power and PC Connection
While this sounds very simple, many times it can be the culprit of a non responsive printer. Ensure the printer’s main power cord is plugged into a functioning outlet or power strip. If it connects to a power strip, make sure the light is switched on. Also, check to see if the printer is turned on, especially if your error happens in the morning. Someone could have turned it off the previous evening.  

The problem could also be a bad connection to your computer. Trace the cable from the back of the printer to the back of your computer to make sure it hasn’t come loose.  

Print Queue
An issue that often happens regardless of the manufacturer is that the print job errors out and gets stuck in the printer queue. The printer queue can be located on the taskbar at the bottom of your screen, and it shows you all current print jobs. By hovering the cursor over the image, you can tell if you have any pending print jobs. If the print job is not printing, try to remove it from the print queue. Look for the printer icon in your taskbar, right click on it to open all active printers and faxes, and highlight the print job to cancel. If it doesn’t allow you to cancel the print job, browse to the following location and delete all files located in this folder: (C:\WINDOWS\system32\spool\PRINTERS).

Usually there are two files for every one print job that is stuck in the queue. Sometimes a restart of the computer is necessary after deleting the files.  

Drivers
Another common problem is printer drivers. Drivers are simply software created especially for your printer to function with your computer. It is very important that you have the appropriate drivers for your particular printer manufacturer and model. The easiest way to find the drivers is by going to the manufacturer’s website, where you can download updated drivers at no charge.   

Before downloading any new drivers, check to see if you are running a 32-bit or 64-bit machine.  The reason for this is because drivers are created for each, and if you install a 64-bit driver on a 32-bit machine you may encounter problems. Go here to find out if you’re running a 32-bit or 64-bit.

If you still have trouble after updating your drivers, it might be a problem with the printer software.  Sometimes the information becomes corrupted or deleted. In this case, you can try reinstalling the software that came with the printer when you purchased it.

Multi Function Printers
Multi function printers often include printing, faxing, copying and scanning capabilities all in one. While they can be great tools, they can also cause much stress when not working properly. The reason they can be so troublesome is because you have to determine which part of the product is not working. You should follow the same approach as we mentioned earlier, checking the power supply, toner, cleanliness of the machine, and making sure you have updated drivers. If none of these items seem to be the problem, check the manufacturer’s website. If the problem is a known issue, they will have troubleshooting tips on their website.

A good tip to keep in mind when using a multi function printer is to make sure you are using the appropriate mode for your activities. For example, if you frequently fax signed documents to clients or financial institutions, you’ll notice that the quality of the document lessens the more times you fax it. But there’s another option – if you have a multi function machine, use the scanner option to save your signed document as a PDF file. Then you have an electronic copy that can be e-mailed, faxed or printed with the same high quality as the original document.  

We hope you’ve found some of this information helpful. And remember, if you need computer or printer advice call Tech Helpline. Our tech support analysts are here to help.