basics

Home networking explained, part 6: Keep your network secure

Editors' note: This post is part of an ongoing series. For the other parts, check out the related stories section below.

If you were concerned after reading CNET's recent report that most home routers can be easily hacked, I don't blame you. The study did sound ominous, but the good news is that your network is likely far less susceptible than the report suggests. And more importantly, there are things you can do to make sure it's secure.

Two things are vital to keeping your network safe: proper settings and prudence. The first step is easy; you … Read more

Calculate state payroll taxes in Excel with Basics Payroll State 2013

We like Excel workbook templates because they do so much of the work for you by integrating a variety of tools and features directly into your spreadsheets; all you need to do is enter the data. Small Business Friendly's Basics Payroll State 2013 is a good example. It can calculate withholding for state taxes on your payroll and even print the paychecks. It generates a variety of reports you can use with your business taxes or planning. It prints top-quality, professional-looking checks and stubs in "Top Check Format" style and retains weekly or bi-weekly processed payroll data … Read more

Make payroll time less of a chore with Basics Payroll 2013

In "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," answering three questions correctly got you safely across the Bridge of Death, but a wrong answer meant, well, death. Small business owners can relate. They cross many such chasms with few safe bridges. But when it comes to cutting paychecks, help is as close as Excel with Basics Payroll 2013. This free Excel workbook simplifies the payroll process for small and medium-size businesses. It's compatible with Microsoft Excel 2007 and later; we tried it in Excel version 14 in Office 2010. While Basics Payroll 2013 is free, you must activate … Read more

Home networking explained, part 5: Setting up a home router

Editors' note: This post is part of an ongoing series. For the other parts, check out the related stories section below.

It might seem like a daunting task to set up a new home router. But it doesn't have to be if you understand the most common way routers are managed: through the Web interface. The hardest part of using the Web interface is getting to it. Once you have gotten there, the rest, at least most of it, is self-explanatory.

Note: Almost all home routers on the market come with an Web interface, which is a Web page … Read more

H&R; Block At Home's Basic service can prepare and e-file basic tax returns

With so many online tax services, it's hard to know which one to trust to file your federal or state taxes. For those who want a familiar name, H&R Block has been preparing federal and state taxes for clients for decades, so it didn't start from scratch when it launched an online tax service, H&R Block At Home. As with Block's traditional service, it offers different levels of service for different needs. H&R Block At Home Basic costs just under $20, so it's near the low end of fee-based online … Read more

Home networking explained, Part 4: Wi-Fi vs. Internet

Editors' note: This post is part of an ongoing series. For the other parts, check out the related stories.

Wi-Fi and Internet are two very different things.

With the popularity of wireless networking, the term Wi-Fi is often synonymous with access to the Internet. In fact, our seasoned editor Scott Stein compared how fast the new iPhone 5's 4G LTE Internet speed was with his "home Wi-Fi," which is a skewed comparison at best. To be fair, most of us use "Wi-Fi" as a shortcut to mean our home broadband Internet connection, and Scott just … Read more

Play audio files in full quality and almost all file formats with jetAudio Basic

Offering top-quality sound experience combined with attractive equalizer options, this app has assets that can make your music session unique and enjoyable. jetAudio Basic reproduces almost all types of sound media files and can modify them.

The app features a well-organized and neat interface. jetAudio Basic offers all the settings and options that a good media player for an Android device should have with some additional extras, such as audio effects, 32 equalizer presets, social media sharing so you are able to post what you're currently listening to on Twitter and Facebook, and many other useful options that can … Read more

See the Wii U unboxed

November 18 marks the release of the first new home console in six years. The Nintendo Wii U promises a brand new gaming experience with the use of an innovative tablet controller.

So what's in the box? Tune in to see what's packed inside the Wii U Deluxe Set that goes for $350. Keep it here for a full review of the console closer to launch.

Cowon's JetAudio Basic is anything but.

JetAudio is the software component of Cowon's media players and devices. It's available as a free media player for Windows under the name of JetAudio Basic. It's anything but basic, though. In addition to being a stylish and capable player that can handle most file types, JetAudio Basic includes audio and video converters, audio CD burning and ripping, sound recording, skins, Internet broadcasting via JetCast, and other fun and useful JetToys. New to JetAudio 8 is an integrated GUI with optional Media Center Interface.

When we first ran JetAudio, we clicked the Choose Windows Configuration option from … Read more