Have You Considered Talking To Your Computer, Lately?

Used to be, not so long ago, talking to your computer and actually getting it to do something you asked was the stuff of science fiction-no longer! Today, thanks to what is known as speech recognition software you can actually command your computer with your voice! And, depending on the version of your computer's operating system you might already have the software included!

If you bought a PC recently that comes with Windows Vista, for example, then you also have speech recognition software. To learn more about how to get the most out of this program, you'll want to visit Windows Speech Recognition In Windows Vista, on Microsoft's Web site. There you'll be able to read about the key features of the program, watch a demo to see how it works and learn how to use Vista's speech recognition tutorials that will teach you everything you need to know.

And for those of you who either don't have the software already, or simply want to try a different product there are plenty of stand-alone speech recognition programs available for purchase, like Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9, for instance.

Of course speech recognition software does have its limitations, and it's not 100% accurate. But, if you're a senior looking to rest your hands and fingers from time to time, you might find it useful.

Speak up! With speech recognition software, your computer is listening!

Create A Virtual Masterpiece And Hang It In An Online Gallery

Like to draw or paint? You might like to try a virtual painting tool like artPad from Art.com. You'll be "painting" on a digital canvas with a realistic looking paintbrush that you control with your mouse. Once you've completed your masterpiece they'll even let you "hang it up" in their online gallery!

Oh, and if you have grandkids, you'll especially like this one. Next time they're over, get them to paint with you online at artPad. You'll have fun creating a masterpiece together without having to worry about spilling paint on the floor!

Everything You Always Wanted To Know About The History Of The Internet & World Wide Web

Do you ever wonder as you surf the Web how it all began-the Internet and the World Wide Web, that is? How did this whole thing get started, anyway? If you're interested in learning more about the history of the Internet and World Wide Web, but afraid of all the technical mumbo jumbo you might encounter, you'll want to check out NetHistory.info.

NetHistory.info started by Ian Peter, an Internet expert and historian, includes a comprehensive yet easy to understand history of the Internet, where you'll undoubtedly satisfy your curiosity about the history of the Internet, World Wide Web, e-mail and more!

How To Indulge Your Nostalgic Sweet Tooth Online

Remember what a trip to the candy store was like in the 50s and 60s? What was your favorite candy back then? Abba-Zaba Peanut Butter Taffy? Candy Buttons? How about Necco Wafers or Marshmallow Cones? Don't you wish there was an easy way to get your hands on some of that old fashioned candy and bring back those great memories?

Now, thanks to the Web, it's possible! There are Web sites that act like virtual old fashioned candy stores where you can actually purchase your favorites from yesteryear!

Here are a few you might want to check out:

• NostalgicCandy.com
• OldTimeCandy.com
• HometownFavorites.com

Visit one of the sites above and it'll feel like you've got an old time candy store right on your desktop!

5 Sites That Make It Easy To Share Photos With Family And Friends

Are you still sending family and friends your latest digital photographs in e-mail attachments? Why not consider creating a free online photo album instead and make it easier to store and share your most treasured memories?

An online photo album is simply a location on the Web where your digital photos reside. When you want to share your pictures with friends and family, you e-mail them a link to the online photo album, instead of an e-mail attachment loaded with pictures.

Here are a couple of sites worth noting that make it easy for you to create online photo albums and offer free options for doing so:

• Flickr
• Picasa
• Snapfish
• Shutterfly
• Photobucket

Some of the sites above even give you the option to make your photo albums private or public, so you can decide whether you want to share your pictures with just family and friends or the whole world!

Access The Grocery Store's Shopping Circular Online

Ever misplace the weekly shopping circular from the supermarket? Save yourself a trip to the store to get another one-find it online, instead! Many if not all of the major supermarket chains make their weekly shopping circulars available for viewing on the Web. Accessing the virtual shopping circulars is usually a simple process, too.

For example, take a look at how easy it is to access the online shopping circular of the popular Stop & Shop supermarket chain:

• Go to Stopandshop.com, and click on Weekly Circular (top menu).
• Now, browse through the entire shopping circular with a few clicks of your mouse!

It's that easy. Sometimes, depending on your supermarket, you might have to type in your zip code first in order to locate the appropriate online shopping circular, but regardless, it should never take more than a couple of steps!

Find Info On Healthy Aging At WebMD

Did you know that WebMD, the widely respected health information Web site, has a section specifically geared to the health and fitness needs of people over 50? It's called Healthy Aging, and if you're looking for information on senior living, exercise for seniors and more, you'll want to make it a go-to destination.

Some of the highlights include:

• The WebMD Healthy Aging Guide
• The latest news about aging
• Aging-related message boards and blogs
• The Healthy Aging Glossary

Want to learn more about the topic of aging? Healthy Aging from WebMD gives you the tools to find the information you need!

Where To Ask Your Small Biz Questions

Got a small business question but don't know where to find someone who's qualified to answer it? Try the ask the expert sections of the following sites that champion the cause of small business owners and would-be entrepreneurs:

• Score.org - On the homepage of SCORE, a resource partner with the U.S. Small Business Administration, you can type in the appropriate keywords and quickly locate experts who will answer your business questions by e-mail.

• Bplans.com - If you Ask a Question of the Bplans.com experts and they publish it on their Web site you'll be notified by e-mail. Even if they don't elect to answer your question, you might still find the answer you're looking for in their extensive business question and answer database.

• Entrepreneur.com - Type in your question at the Ask Entrepreneur section of the Web site and you'll be informed by e-mail when it's answered. Expect to receive your answer within 3-5 business days, although they can't guarantee that every question will be answered. You can also check their question and answer archive-someone else might have already asked the same question.

Don't keep those business questions bouncing around in your head-ask a business pro online at one of the sites above, instead!

Listen To The Bible Online

Sit back, relax and imagine that you could have a Shakespearean-trained actor read the Bible aloud to you anytime you want. Now go to Audio Bible Online and make it a reality! That's right, at Audio Bible Online you can actually listen online to the entire King James Version of the Bible as narrated by famed star of stage and screen, the late Alexander Scourby.

Just follow these easy steps to start listening to the Bible right now:

• Go to Audio Bible Online and in the left-hand column, find the book and chapter of the Bible that you want to listen to and and click on it.
• Start listening! (Note: You'll need RealAudio software in order to listen, but don't worry if you don't have it-it's free and they provide a link where you can download it)

By the way, if you decide you want to own this recording on CD, you may purchase it on their site-happily, listening to it online is free!

How To Make Free Long-Distance Calls With Your Computer

Frustrated by soaring long-distance phone charges? Did you know that thanks to the power of the Internet and the right software you can make long-distance phone calls for free with your computer? It's called PC-to-PC calling and it's relatively easy to set up.


What you'll need:

An Internet connection, a computer with working speakers, a microphone and free PC-to-PC calling software.


How it works:

Download some free software onto your computer, get the people you want to call to do the same on theirs, and then start calling each other on your computers. It's that simple!

Here are a couple of places on the Web that offer free software and detailed instructions for making PC-to-PC calls:

• Skype
• Yahoo! Messenger

Be sure to read any terms, conditions and/or limitations that apply and then enjoy making those long-distance phone calls for free on your computer!

Look To The Web To See World War II Photographs

Are you a senior surfer who's looking to find resources on the Web where you can see rare and archival quality World War II photographs? You're in luck-the Web has some great collections, if you know where to look.

Here are a few notable repositories of World War II photographs online:

• 500 Photos of World War II available courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library Digital Archives.
• The National Archives collection of Pictures of World War II.
• History Link 101's World War II Picture Page, which includes many color images.

Especially if you're a World War II buff these are sites you simply must check out!

Zoom In On Microscopic Wonders

Ever wonder what the world looks like through the lens of a microscope? Your grandkids probably do too! If you want to get them excited about something educational for a change, venture with them into the fascinating world of microscopy science with a little help from the Microscopy and Science Education Web Site created by Dennis Kunkel Ph.D.

Some of the activities you'll both enjoy doing there include:

• Searching the Education Image Library, which features more than 2,000 images-everything from algae to viruses, as seen through the microscope
• Operating the Virtual Scanning Electron Microscope (includes sound effects)
• Zooming in for a closer look at common household insects like the fruit fly and mosquito

Loaded with dazzling images from the microscopic world, this is one online destination you'll want to visit often-few educational sites will inspire as much awe!

Now Playing At A Computer Screen Near You: Edison's Early Motion Pictures

Long before the dawn of the blockbuster movie, before even the classic black and white films of the golden era of Hollywood, there were the early films produced by Thomas Edison's Laboratory in New Jersey between 1891-1922.

Now, thanks to the Library of Congress American Memory Collection you can watch all 341 of these so-called Edison Motion Pictures right on your computer screen!

The American Memory Collection lets you search the films three ways:

1. Chronologically
2. Alphabetically
3. By Genre

These represent some of the earliest motion pictures to appear anywhere. Enjoy your nostalgic journey!

Ask The Home Improvement Pros

Here's the problem: You've got a question about the do-it-yourself home improvement project you've decided to tackle, but you don't know anyone who has the answer. The solution? Try asking an expert online at the Web site of the popular TV show This Old House!

Here's how:

• Go to This Old House and click on Give & Get Advice from the top menu.
• On the resulting page under Ask This Old House, click on Ask Your Own Question.
• Fill out the online form and click Submit at the bottom of the page.

You should note that not every question submitted will be answered-as they clearly state on their Web site-but it's still worth a try. Or, you could always check their Archive of Questions-the answer you're looking for might already be there!

Uncle Sam's Internet Crime Complaint Center

Hopefully you'll never become the victim of an Internet crime. But in the event you do, it's good to know that Uncle Sam has set up a handy Web site called The Internet Crime Complaint Center, where you can quickly and easily file complaints regarding all types of cyber crimes.

Known as IC3 for short and created through a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center, the site accepts complaints via an Online Complaint Referral Form and even offers tips on how to avoid becoming a victim in the first place.

Check it out today!

A Great Place On The Web To Discuss Your Local News

Have you been to Topix.net yet? If you're looking for a great place online to discuss the local news that's important to you, this is one place that's hard to top. Easy to navigate and searchable by topic, city and state, or postal code it's sure to satisfy you if you're a serious newshound-especially an opinionated one!


Here's what Topix.net offers:

• Links to 50,000 news sources from all over the Web
• Forums and message boards where you can discuss the news
• The opportunity to participate in opinion polls and start your own

Billing themselves as "the leading news community on the Web," Topix encourages reader involvement. They even offer the chance to become a Topix editor for your city. Read their Editing FAQ's to learn more.

Play Wheel Of Fortune Online

Are you a fan of the popular TV game show Wheel Of Fortune? You'll be happy to know that you can play this fun game online too!

Here's how:

• Go to the Wheel of Fortune Homepage.
• From the top menu, under Games, click Online Games.
• A new window will pop up featuring the instructions. After reading them, click Play Now

The game will begin shortly. Enjoy!

Note: Make sure you read all the terms and conditions including the photosensitive warning before playing.

Enroll In A Free Course From iVillage.com

Did you know that iVillage.com, the popular Web portal that covers health, beauty, entertainment and more, offers a variety of online courses too? Known as iLearn courses, they include topics like personal finance and small business.

Here are some of the course titles currently offered:

• Building a Budget and Sticking to It
• Get a Grip on Your Family's Finances
• Improving Communication: Saying What You Mean
• Start-Up Basics for the First-Time Entrepreneur

These iLearn courses are taught by experts and include interactive elements like message boards. Best of all, they're absolutely free!

The Pocket Guide To Staying Healthy At 50+ Is Available Online

Searching for important information on how to stay healthy in your 50s and beyond? You'll want to check out The Pocket Guide To Staying Healthy At 50+, a helpful publication brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and AARP. Just click on the link above and you can read it in its entirety online!

Some of the topics covered in the guide include:

• Tips on how to talk to your doctor and other healthcare professionals
• Advice on how to make healthier lifestyle choices
• The checkups, tests and shots you'll need to stay healthy in your senior years

Incidentally, if you prefer a hard copy of this guide you can order a copy by sending an e-mail to AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov or calling the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at 1-800-358-9295.

Missed Your Favorite TV Show? Catch It On The Web

Now you have another option when you've missed your favorite TV show and forgot to record it-you can watch it online! That's right, the major networks are making many if not all of their TV shows available for viewing on their Web sites for free!

Here's how to watch them on the Web:

• At ABC.com click Full Episodes (top menu), then on the resulting page click Launch The Player.
• At CBS.com select Full Episodes (top menu), then click on the one you want to watch from the choices presented.
• At NBC.com select Watch Video (top menu), then under Full Episodes, click on the one you want to see.

Thanks to the power of the Web you no longer have to wait for reruns when you miss a show-simply click and watch!

Is Your Password Strong Enough? How To Find Out Right Now Online

With all the media attention the subject receives, you're probably well aware of the importance of strong passwords when it comes to Internet security. However, even if you know all the tips for creating stronger passwords how can you be sure that yours are strong enough? When the site that asks you to create a password also offers their own password strength checking tool, it's easy, but what about for those other times?

Fact is, you can test the strength of your passwords anytime, even right now, by simply visiting the online Password Checker from Microsoft.com. Just type in the password you want to test and you'll automatically receive a strength rating on screen-either weak, medium, strong or best. Obviously you want to shoot for a reading of strong or best!

Not sure if that password you've been using is up to speed? Microsoft's Password Checker will let you know!