Commentary

Free online translation services from Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft

Recently I was researching some technical information on a Brazilian manufactured product. There was a dearth of information available on English language Web sites, but there were dozens of Brazilian Web sites that contained my search term. I do not read Portuguese, so I had to translate the content of the Brazilian Web pages into English in order to determine if they contained the content that I needed.

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Think returns as you shop

Q. I received a gift for the holidays. When I opened it, I discovered I had already bought the same thing for myself. I went to return it and the store pointed to a sign that said, “No returns, exchange only,” and told me I could not return it. There is nothing else I want in that store. Are they right? This doesn’t seem fair.

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Not-so-traditional holiday gift ideas

The spirit of giving is falling upon us as the holiday season is finally in sight. It’s the time for spending quality hours with loved ones, both friends and family, enjoying hearty meals and seasonal treats (and the process of preparing them), dragging decorations and lights from the attic to adorn the Christmas tree and home, and last but not least, spending hours scurrying to the perfect gift for said loved ones.

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Taste of Home to show how it’s done

If this year’s Thanksgiving recipes are seeming a little outdated and bland, or if dinnertime around the house could use some sprucing up, Beaumont has an event to help with that.

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Improve your PC performance with Advanced System Care 5

I have been using multiple IObit products for several years, and have generally been very satisfied with them. One that I have been using since it was first released in 2005 is the IObit Advanced System Care, a multi-function utility that is designed to improve PC performance.

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Landlord doesn’t have to change your lease

Q. I signed a lease with my friend. She now is getting married and wants her name removed from the lease. Even though my credit is good and I can afford the rent, the landlord will not remove her name. What can we do to get her name off the lease? She is having trouble renting another apartment.

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Gizmo lists best free 64-bit Windows software

Almost all newly manufactured PCs have a 64-bit processor and are loaded with the 64-bit version of Windows 7. Processors and operating systems at 64 bits have the potential to process information much faster than the older 32-bit operating systems and processors, but much of the software available is still written to run on 32-bit machines. While almost all 32-bit software will run on 64-bit machines, performance is sacrificed for the benefit of compatibility and the cost savings of only writing a program once that can run on both systems.

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Free government utility defends your computer

I have written a lot of columns about computer security and the threats that many of us face when using our computers. While we might be subject to a variety of threats at home or in our offices, including hackers, crackers, viruses, worms, Trojans and other varieties of malware, the threat landscape can substantially increased when using a public WiFi or other network, or even allowing someone else to use our computers. With the U.S.

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Carefully read your layaway agreement before you sign

Q. I am considering using layaway for some of my Christmas shopping. I noticed many large stores now offer this service. I was wondering what happens if I change my mind and don’t finish paying. Legally, how much money may the store keep?

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Tweak Windows 7, Vista with the free GIGATweaker utility

Most users of Windows 7 and Vista simply use the Microsoft default settings for almost everything on their computers. In my experience, they are likely unaware that there are a myriad of customizable settings in Windows that can be used to improve performance, enhance security, change appearance, speed the boot process, and otherwise control just about anything that Windows can do.

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