The Internet: The Missing Manual

Description

The Internet is almost synonymous with change--that's one of its charms, and one of its headaches. You may think you know the Internet, but are you really up to speed on internet telephones, movie and TV downloading, blogging, gaming, online banking, dating, and photosharing?

This utterly current book covers:

Getting Online. Readers will have all the information they need to decide what kind of broadband connection works best for them, which browser they should use, and what kind of spyware-fighting and virus-and spam-protection measures they need to protect themselves.

Finding Information. Google may be the leading search site, but it's certainly not the only game in town. This book introduces a diverse and useful collection of sites that help uncover everything from health care information, to shopping, travel and finance, to dependable reviews and ratings.

Movies, music, and photos. The Web's teeming with entertainment--and not just the sort of postage-stamp sized videos that only a geek could love. Learn where to download movies, watch TV online, listen to music, play games, and post and share photos with friends.

Keeping in touch. Email's only the beginning. This book introduces readers to the many tools that make the modern Internet such a great way to stay connected. From Web-based discussion groups to instant messaging programs, and from blogs and podcasts to Internet-based phone calls, this book will help you join the conversation.

Ideal for anyone just venturing into cyberspace, this book is also perfect for more experienced users who could use an update to today's most exciting internet applications.

 

Table of Contents

The Missing Credits

Introduction

Part One: Getting Online

Chapter 1. Getting Online

     Broadband Connections (Fast)

            The Broadband Setup
               Sharing a Broadband Connection

     Dial-Up Connections (Slow)

               Meet the Modem

               Finding an ISP

               Setting Up a Dial-Up Connection (Windows)

               Setting Up a Dial-Up Connection (Macintosh)

     Wireless Connections (Awesome)

               WiFi at Home

               How to Join a Hot Spot

     Software

               Web Browsers

               Email Programs

               Instant Messaging Programs

               Security Software

     Advanced Connection Tricks (Windows)

               Dialing Rules Tab

               Modems Tab

               Advanced Tab

     Advanced Connection Tricks (Mac OS X)

               Switching Locations

               Creating a New Location

               Making the Switch

               Multihoming

Chapter 2. Surfing the Web

     Your First Web Page

               Parts of a Web Browser

               Moving to Another Page

            Bookmarks: Getting Back to Where You've Been
     Portals: Dashboards of the Web

               Google

               Yahoo

               MSN

               AOL

     Browser Choices

               Firefox

               Netscape

               Opera

               Top Tips for Setting Up Your Browser

Part Two: Finding Information

Chapter 3. How to Search the Web

     Search Basics

               Searching with Google

               Basic Search

               Advanced Search

               Searching with Yahoo

               Advanced Search

               Searching with MSN

               Alternative Search Engines

     Directories at Your Service

Chapter 4. Searching by Information Type

     White Pages, Yellow Pages

     Driving Directions

     Health and Medicine

     Job Hunting

     Getting the Facts

     Word Definitions

Chapter 5. News and Blogs

     News Sites

               Google News

               Yahoo News

               BBC News

               CNN.com

     Online Newspapers

               NYTimes.com

               WSJ.com

               Your Local Paper

     Sports, Weather, and Entertainment

               Sports

               Weather

               Entertainment

     Blogs

               Using Blog-Search Sites

     Feeds: Having the News Come to You

Chapter 6. Reviews and Ratings

     Movies

               The Internet Movie Database

               Rotten Tomatoes

               Ain't It Cool News

               Film Threat

     Restaurants

               Restaurant Row

               DineSite

               Restaurant.com

     Music

               Billboard

               Music Critic

               Pitchfork

               Music Sites by Genre

     Books

               Amazon and B&N

               The New York Times Book Review

               The New York Review of Books

     Consumer Electronics

               CNET

               Don't Buy Junk

               Consumer Search

               Epinions

     Cars

               Cars.com

               Kelley Blue Book

               Car Talk

               The Family Car

Part Three: Shopping, Travel, and Finance

Chapter 7. Shopping

     How to Shop Online

     The Top Shopping Sites

               Amazon

               eBay

               Craigslist

     Finding Good Deals

               Froogle

               Shopping.com and DealTime

     Shopping for Big-Ticket Items

               Cars

               Real Estate

Chapter 8. Planning Trips

     Booking Tickets and Reservations

               TripAdvisor

               Travelocity

               Expedia

               Orbitz

               Kayak

     Last-Minute Deals

               Priceline

               Hotwire

               Travelzoo

Chapter 9. Finance

     Online Banking

               Paying Bills

     Finding Loans Online

     Trading Online and Tracking Investments

               Finding Stock Information

               Setting Up an Online Trading Account

     Doing Your Taxes Online

               Filing a Federal Tax Return Electronically

               Finding Tax Information and Forms Online

Part Four: Entertainment and Media

Chapter 10. Games and Gambling

     Games for the Whole Family

               Where to Find Games Online

               Bridge

               Chess

     Shoot 'Em Up Games

     Massive Multiplayer Games

     Virtual Worlds

               Life in a Virtual World

               Virtual Worlds Online

     Fantasy Sports

     Gambling

               Online Poker

               Other Casino Games

Chapter 11. Music and Audio

     Digital Audio and the Internet

     Listening to Digital Audio

               Downloading Songs

               Streaming Audio

     Online Music Stores

               The iTunes Music Store

               MusicMatch

               Napster, Rhapsody, MusicMatch, Yahoo Music-

               eMusic

               Places to Find Free Music Downloads

     Streaming Music Sites

               Real Rhapsody

               Yahoo Music

               Pandora

     Internet Radio

     Podcasts

               Podcasts on iTunes

               Yahoo Podcasts

               Odeo Podcast Sharing

               NPR Podcasts

Chapter 12. Videos, Movies, and TV

     Videos and Movies Online

               Downloading Movie Rentals

               Watching TV Shows Online

     DVDs by Mail

               Netflix

               Blockbuster

     Watching Webcams

Chapter 13. Photos

     Finding Photos

               Flickr

               Google Images

     Sharing Photos Online

               Uploading Your Images

               Choosing a Photo-Sharing Site

     Sending Photos to a Printing Service

     Sending Photos via Email

               The Email Resolution Nightmare

               File Formats

Part Five: Communicating with Others

Chapter 14. Email

     Email Program vs. Web-Based Email

               How Computer-Based Mail Works

               How Web-Based Email Works

               Dedicated Email Programs

               Web-Based Email Services

     Setting Up Your Email Program

     Writing and Sending Messages

               Email Etiquette

     Reading and Organizing Email

               How to Deal with Email

               The Parts of Your Mailbox

               Filters and Message Rules

               Opening Attachments

     Fighting Email Pests

               Spam

               Viruses

Chapter 15. Instant Messages and Chat

     Instant Messaging: An Introduction

     IM Services: The Catalog

               AIM

               Yahoo Messenger

               MSN Messenger

               iChat

               Phase 1: Build Your Buddy List

               Phase 2: Start the Chat

               Beyond Text Chat

               Swapping Files

               Games

               Customize

               Chat Rooms

Chapter 16. Discussion Groups

     Finding and Searching Groups

               Google Groups

               Yahoo Groups

               MSN Groups

               Groups@AOL

     Creating New Groups

Chapter 17. Social Networking

     Socializing and Dating Services

               Finding the Right Site

               Online Dating Safety Tips

               Friendster

               Match.com

     Professional Networking

               LinkedIn

               Jobster

Chapter 18. Skype & VoIP: Internet Phones

     Skype: Computer-to-Phone Plans

               What You Need for Skype

               Starting Up with Skype

               Making Calls

               Receiving Calls

               SkypeIn

     Phone-to-Phone Plans

               Questions to Ask About VoIP Service

               Choosing a VoIP Service

               Setting Up VoIP

               Using VOIP

Part Six: Internet Power and Protection

Chapter 19. Your Own Blogs, Web Sites, and Podcasts

     Blogs

               Creating a Blog

               Free Blog Sites

     Super-Simple Web Pages

               Google Page Creator

               Homestead

               Yahoo GeoCities

               .Mac and iWeb

     Professional Web Sites

               Phase 1: Design Your Web Site

               Phase 2: Find a Web Host

               Phase 3: Publish Your Web Site

     Podcasts

               All-in-One Podcast Programs

               Do-It-Yourself Podcast Programs

Chapter 20. Living on the Web

     Online Backup and Storage

               How to Find Online Storage

     Online Word Processing Programs

               Microsoft Office Live

               Other Online Word Processors

     Project Planning and Group Calendars

     Online Meetings/Web Conferencing

Chapter 21. Staying Safe

     Know Your Enemies

     Fighting Internet Pests

     Defeating Spyware

     Controlling Cookies

     Phishing Lures

     Sealing Your Computer's Firewall

               Hardware Firewalls

               Software Firewalls

     Protecting Your Kids

               Ground Rules for Kids

               Advice for Parents

Index