Superb Online Tools That You Can Use as Alternatives to Google Docs

Google Docs is usually the first thing that comes to people's minds when it comes to online office services. The main reason is because Google makes a very competitive product, which is clearly remains unparalleled on the Web.

However, if you don't feel like using Google Docs, there are still other great alternatives out there that you can try. Check them out below.

Office Online

Office Online is Microsoft's answer to Google Docs. This online office service is nearly similar to what Google offers. Using the program allows you to collaborate while working on documents, save your documents in One Drive (much like how GDocs works with GDrive), and many more.

The main edge of this program among the others on this list -- Microsoft. MS is sharp in competing with Google when it comes to online office space, which is why you can be assured that the program won't go away. Another best thing about it is that since Office Online is a Microsoft product, you can be sure that you'll be able to easily use your abundance of MS Office files with this program directly from your browser. Go ahead and give this program a try.

Etherpad Lite

If you are not interested in leaving your important document files in the hands of big companies like Google or Microsoft, you may want to check out Etherpad Lite. It's an open source office program that can be accessed on your own website, when combined with this plugin.

Etherpad Lite is an awesome tool if your purpose is to work on a document or two. It's not as fancy and loaded with features, something as big as Microsoft can do. But still, it's a big asset if you're interested in combining the ability to collaborate online with colleagues and control all of your data as well.

PiratePad

Would you like to create a document but are not that interested in signing up for services or setting up anything? Then check out PiratePad. It's a basic, online-only office document tool that has all the features you would expect from an office program (formatting, attaching documents, etc.), along with the ability to collaborate with other people at the same time.

So if you want to make a quick document minus the hassle, PiratePad might be worth checking out for you.

Hackpad

Hackpad is an elegant, collaborative online office tool owned by Dropbox. Except for Office Online, Hackpad is the closest to Google Docs. Similar to Google's tool, you'll be able to easily create documents in your web browser (they also have an iOS app) and collaborate with friends and colleagues, too.

The reason why Hackpad is considered as a great alternative is simply because it is backed up by Dropbox. We can safely say that they're a well-known company, which is not actually into buying up tools only to shut them down later on.

The only main downside of Hackpad is that it's just a writing tool. That means you only get the ability to create text documents. However, if you're simply looking for an easy tool for documents in your web browser, Hackpad can do the job.

4 Android Apps That Could Save Your Life

If in case you happen to be someone who needs to travel alone or who usually comes home late at night, you would often feel quite uncomfortable, especially when you feel like someone is stalking you. When that happens, all you can probably think about is getting out of that place or call your friends. At times where anything can happen in just a split second, wouldn't it be great to have something that can help you get in touch with your family and/or friends in just a few taps.

Luckily, if you're an Android user, below are some great apps that you can use whenever you feel like you are in danger. These apps help you connect to your friends so you can let them know about your predicament and find a way out of it.

1. SOS - Stay Safe!

SOS - Stay Safe! is an app that can help you if you feel like you're being stalked. It allows you to connect to your loved ones quickly and easily just by shaking your device. By calibrating the shakes and your device, you can send an emergency message to your chosen contacts without the stalker knowing anything. It does not only send a plain message, it also sends out a recorded clip of the audio, the battery level of your device, as well as your location. This way, they will easily find out where you currently are.

You can get the app for free from the Google Play store.

2. One Touch SOS

One Touch SOS lets you send out your location information to your chosen contacts with just one touch. This means you don't need to rush around just to find your friend's or family member's number in your phonebook, type your message, and then send it out. You cannot possibly do those things if you're in danger at that minute.

You can download One Touch SOS from the Google Play store without any cost.

3. SOS Emergency Rescue

The SOS Emergency Rescue app rescues you from any unwanted situation and makes sure you are in a safe condition. The app places images of your chosen contacts on the screen, and then you can tap on any of those contacts that you want to call. The app is specially designed for elder people who may have poor eyesight and cannot browse through the menus to find their family members. The user just needs to tap on the contact, and you will be connected to that person in just a few seconds.

You can get the app for free from the Google Play store.

4. VithU: V Gumrah Initiative

The VithU: V Gumrah Initiative app sends out your location information to your chosen contacts simply by pressing the Power button twice. It sends out your updated location info every two minutes so that your friends will know which way you are heading so that they can easily find you. It will send your contact a predefined message saying "I am in danger. I need help. Please follow my location."

If you think this app will be a great help to you, get it for free from the Google Play store.

Reasons Why Your Computer's Performance May Seem Inconsistent

We sometimes call it lagging or sluggish, but regardless of how it is described, we simply cannot deny that our computer may eventually become slow over time. So, what could be the factors that can negatively impact on a computer’s performance? What should you be looking out for?

In reality, computer performance is very consistent. This is because the computer will always run as fast and as properly as it possibly can, of course, within the constraints of the hardware and software inside the computer. Some programs might run up against one another when it comes to resources. It all depends on what constraint a particular program runs up against.

Compared to their counterparts as far back as the turn of the 21^st century, today’s modern computers are amazingly fast. The only thing that they may run into and can’t keep up with is the human expectation that what’s already fast, may not be fast enough for them.

So here are some possibilities for any inconsistent computer performance:

You don’t have enough RAM or some other resource – perhaps when you bought your computer, you didn't ask if the specifications are good enough for the kind of work you need to do. For example, your computers only have 2MB of memory, when you need is at least 4MB of computer memory to properly run your online ticketing business. Little things like this may be overlooked.

Too many programs are running and taking a lot of resources – probably the most common mistake many people make, and they start thinking that their hardware is slowing down and needs repair. For instance, many web professionals open too many websites all at once that slows down the browser and memory. Another problem is having two or three antivirus programs running all at the same time when all you need is one. Antivirus programs may be very resource intensive.

It may be your network that’s slow, not the computer – you may think that it’s your computer that’s being slow, but there is also a possibility that it’s your network that’s running slow. This happens when you notice that your web pages take a long time to open.

Admit it, your computer might be old – unwittingly, you might just have realized that your computer is almost 10 years old and you’re trying to run newer software that exceeds the capabilities of the old computer.

You might have a computer virus – this occurs if you don’t have an antivirus program or you don’t regularly update your antivirus program. If your computer does have a computer virus infecting your files and programs on your system, this will definitely slow down the computer.

You might have some configuration or setup issues – if you suspect such, or see no reason to suspect anything else, perhaps you might want a tech support to check out your computer.

Recommended Mac Technical Support Guides

In the spirit of technical and IT equality, we now offer some Mac tech support guides that you can run to if you need support for your MacBook. Since most guidelines and advice seem to center on Microsoft users, most especially with Windows and Office, this is a rundown on how you can get official and efficient support if you are a MacBook user.

http://support.apple.com/manuals/

If you’re a Mac user, where else can you get the support you need than from the official site itself? To save you time browsing through the pages, you can immediately go to the support manuals. Almost all Mac products are covered including Quick Start Guides for the iMac, Mac Mini, MacBook Pro, and Mac Pro. Complete guides are provided for all iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch using iOS 8.1. User guides can be downloaded in PDF.

http://www.microsoft.com/mac

For Mac users who need to use a compatible Microsoft Office suite for their Mac computers, then this guide is for you. It guides in installing and how to use the Microsoft Office 365 specially made for Mac computers. Options are given in selecting either the Office 365 Home for families or home use or the Office 365 Personal for work. The guide introduces you to using Word 2011, PowerPoint 2011, Excel 2011, and Outlook 2011 on your Mac computer. One Note for Mac is also specially made for Mac users. There is complete support that includes instructional ‘how-to’s’ and downloads, how to purchase, activations, and product helps.

https://www.apple.com/support/mac-apps/

Naturally, if you’re a Mac user then you’ll be using a lot of Mac apps, and this guide site gives you the support you need for these. You’ll find complete resources and content options, up-to-date programs, and even a boot camp on how to install Mac apps or how to purchase from the Mac App Store. You’ll find such apps as Safari, Quick Time, iPhoto, iMovie, Mail, Messages, iBooks, and the like all covered by this guide.

https://www.apple.com/support/itunes/

What’s a Mac user if they don’t use iTunes? Everyone listens to music and Mac users are exclusively hooked on iTunes since most pirated MP3’s, MP4’s, and other music formats not from iTunes won’t run on Mac computers. Every support you need for iTunes is in this guide, and of course, you get to download your music from here as well. The guide completely covers accounts and billing, installation and updates, downloading, sharing and managing content, and even syncing and transferring content.

http://www.parallels.com/products/desktop/support/

The Parallels Desktop for Mac lets Mac users run both Windows and Mac OS X applications side-by-side in complete compatibility to each other. All you need is to follow this guide and there are even detailed guide questions that you can follow.

Some Habits that Can Make Your Computer Run Better and Protect It Online and Physically As Well

It’s been proven that bad habits can be made worse by technology. So, instead of getting used to these bad habits, and invite bad things that may happen to your computer, you can use technology to break these bad habits and create good habits. When you get used to these good habits, you'll soon see the results of a computer that runs better and protecting it both from online attacks and physical deterioration.

Never leave equipment in plain sight

This is one habit you should practice, because very often, people have the bad habit of leaving their computers in plain sight while taking their coffee orders or going to the bathroom. It doesn't take long for someone at a nearby table or near the window to react to the temptation and snatch up your laptop. This is a non-techy and no brainer habit that will keep your hard-earned computer safe.

Not cleaning your equipment

Here’s another non-techy no brainer for you; always get in the habit of cleaning your computer, especially your laptop, at least once every 6 months. Dust and grime is the worst enemy of computers because it will prevent the fans inside to function properly, heating up the inside, clog optical-drive mechanisms and other moving parts, and will cause internal damage.

Always back up data

Notice that the first and second tips are non-techy and practical, since most tips given are technical in nature. Now, this one is the most ignored until something happens to the computer, and after the crash, you wish you had backed up your important files. Get into the habit of backing up your data; you can use cloud-storage systems, or do it physically by using external disks, adding another hard disk to your PC, or burning your data onto CD’s or DVD’s.

Using different passwords and frequently changing passwords

Here’s a habit that can't be emphasized enough; in this age of hacking and identity thieves, you need to get into the habit of having different passwords for every online account you have, including social media sites. Not only that, the passwords need to be really hard to hack; your birthday or wedding anniversary just won't cut it because these can be easily figured out. Also, change your passwords at least every 6 months.

Never fail to update

Software updates are released and very important because it’s a way for developers to add features, fixes bugs, and plug security holes. More importantly, operating system and security software updates keep equipment stable and secure. Even if updates are automatic, you still need to reboot. Rebooting is also important because it refreshes the system while properly reflecting everything that was installed or updated.

Don’t open up or respond to spam

Make it a habit to go over your spam folder and delete everything without opening or responding to anything. This is where the most viruses and malware hide, and when you open the links or respond to the spam, you leave your computer open to cyber-attacks.

If you follow these good habits, you'll not only prevent your equipment from being attacked or hacked, but you’ll extend their lifespan as well.

Common Types of Errors That Can Cause Your Computer to Crash

A crashing computer usually occurs when the hard disk drive fails to function properly and information stored on your computer can no longer be accessed. This can be fatal, especially if the information that needs to be accessed is from the operating system. Hard disk failures that lead to crashes for a number of reasons can range from hardware life expectancy to human error.

Not using a proper UPS

Electricity is not a steady and uninterruptible supply because it can be disrupted by power surges, power fluctuations, electrical storms, and power outages. A sudden shut down due to a power cut can damage the hard disks and later cause the computer to crash. Consider investing in an UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) as this will give you a few minutes to properly shut down should electrical power be suddenly cut.

Allowing for Overheating

Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old, it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. Another cause of overheating through human error is by not allowing enough air flow around the CPU, particularly at the back portion where air is sucked in to cool the CPU and the hot air is blown out. One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU.

Software

A common cause of a computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. To avoid this problem, properly install any software by strictly following its installation instructions.

Printers

Not many people are aware that human error caused by printers can cause a computer to crash. The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file. This is called a postscript file. Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer, which can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer’s performance. If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognized, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up using a cold boot will restore the printer's default settings.

Viruses

Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. The human error here is when the user doesn’t install an anti-virus or anti-malware software, or if the software isn't updated regularly.

Computer crashes can destroy your hard disk drive in an instant, and recovery of important information may be difficult. Backing up your data, and using simple preventive techniques can save you from the headache of a hard drive crash.