Tip: Make your videos private
— -- Question. I like to record videos with my phone and share them with my family and friends. However, when I upload them to YouTube, strangers leave me mean comments. Is there any way I can share my videos privately?
Answer. You can lock videos you currently have on YouTube by going to the Edit menu in the My Videos section of your account. In the Broadcasting and Sharing section, find the Privacy Options menu. Set the video to "Private." Only people you invite will be able to watch the video, but you can share it with only 50 other users. The "Unlisted" menu takes away the 50 person limit and keeps your videos out of searches. However, anyone could still watch your video if they have the link. If you want to avoid accidentally publishing videos publicly, look into joining a private sharing site like Givit or Videosprout.
Take a screenshot with your Mac
Q. I just switched over to a Mac and I'm really happy with it, but I can't figure out how to take a screenshot. Could you tell me how?
A. Unlike Windows computers, there is no dedicated Print Screen key on a Mac keyboard. Instead, you can use keyboard shortcuts to take a picture of your screen. For a picture of the whole screen, press CMD + Shift + 3. If you want to take a picture of just part of your screen, hit CMD + Shift + 4. This will give you a cursor that you can use to select an area of the screen. If you hit CMD + Shift + 4 and then the spacebar, you can take a picture of an active window in an application. The cursor will turn into camera icon. Use it to highlight the window you want and click to take the picture. Screenshots are saved to your desktop so you can drag them right into any photo editing program.
Change sleep settings in Windows 7
Q. Whenever I step away from my laptop to grab a drink or answer the phone, it goes into Sleep mode. Is there any way to change the frequency of my laptop's naps?
A. Sleep mode is probably activating so often because your laptop is unplugged. Your computer changes power settings to maximize your battery life. To adjust your power settings, go to Control Panel>>Hardware and Sound>>Power Options. You can set Sleep times for the computer when it's running on battery and when it's plugged in and charging. You can also change whether or not the computer automatically goes to sleep when you close the lid. For times you're going to be away from the computer for hours, use Start>>Hibernate. This saves quite a bit more power for longer periods than Sleep.
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The scoop on 5th-generation Wi-Fi
Q. I read a story online that tech companies are working on a new, more powerful Wi-Fi. Should I wait until it comes out to buy a new router?
A. Good question. You don't want to buy a router if it's going to be out of date in a few months! Fifth-generation Wi-Fi, which is due to hit the market later this year, uses the 802.11ac standard. This is faster than the 802.11n, g and b technologies in current routers. That's because 802.11ac operates at a frequency of 5.0 gigahertz, whereas most current routers use 2.4GHz. With 802.11ac, you could see speeds over one gigabyte per second, which rivals the best wired networks. Of course, few wireless gadgets you own now work at 5GHz and none support 802.11ac. So, you won't see any advantages with your current gear. Unless you plan on replacing all your equipment at once, buying an 802.11n router now will last you for a few years yet.
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Kim Komando hosts the nation's largest talk radio show about consumer electronics, computers and the Internet. To get the podcast, watch the show or find the station nearest you, visit www.komando.com . E-mail her at techcomments@usatoday.com.
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