It’s 15 degrees outside today so my laptop won’t be going anywhere.

All electronics are sensitive to extreme temperatures, and laptops, like people and puppies, best tolerate a temperature range from 55 to 85 degrees F.

During cold weather, never leave your laptop in a cold car, especially in the trunk.

When you bring your laptop in from the cold, wait 15 minutes before turning it on, especially if the room is warm and humid. Otherwise, you’ll have condensation problems that may cause permanent damage.

Many laptops simply won’t turn on if it is too cold for the components to function, but don’t panic. It is not uncommon for a laptop battery to lose its charge when it’s out in the cold. You could take your laptop in the car or on the train with a full battery, yet when you get to your meeting, the battery may be dead. If so, plug the laptop into its power source and wait for a full charge, while it warms up to room temperature. Yes, just wait. Don’t cover it with a blanket, don’t place it on a radiator or in the sun. Just wait.

You’ve seen a computer screen “freeze,” but a laptop LCD (liquid crystal display) screen can literally freeze, resulting in an ugly crack. Don’t even try to open the lid on a cold laptop until it has a chance to warm up.

You already know that static electricity can zap your computer, indoors or out and you should always carry your laptop in an insulated bag.

The ideal operating specs for temperature and humidity are listed in your computer’s user manual. Keep that puppy warm in winter…

Be careful with portable USB drives. Be sure to ground yourself by touching something metal before touching your USB thumb drive or camera memory card. We've seen a few instances of corrupt cards within the last month, likely due to cold weather and static electricity.

For critical data, be sure the USB drive is not your only data source. Back up to another drive, in case your USB becomes corrupt. If it does, you can reformat (erase) it, but you'll lose all the data on it. And, like laptops, don't use them until they warm up to room temperature.

Many clients use TurboTax or TaxCut software, from H&R Block. The programs are easy to use and efficiently calculate your taxes, even if you prefer to file on paper.

If your gross income is $52,000 or less in 2006, you can file your taxes and use tax software programs for free, through the link below.

The list of software providers is large, and some make the offer only for people under 50 or on active military duty. But you'll find one that fits your needs, including: TaxAct, H&R Block's TaxCut and TurboTax Freedom Edition.

Does your computer know what time it is? This year, daylight savings time will be four weeks longer! In the U.S. and Canada it will start three weeks earlier (2:00 A.M. on the 2nd Sunday in March) and will end one week later, the 1st Sunday in November.

So, Microsoft is in a panic because Windows computers are preprogrammed on the old standard for Daylight Savings, and will not automatically adjust our computer clocks. Right-click the clock to do it yourself on March 11th, or do an automatic update if you need to fix Outlook or any Windows handheld devices. Be sure to uncheck the box marked "Automatically adjust for Daylight Savings Time."

1. You can call Google on your cell phone and get directions in a text message on your cell phone. Dial 46645, or "GOOGL." You can visit Google's interactive demo to practice typing in key words. Text message a practice search query to 466453 ('GOOGLE' on most devices) and you'll receive a text message with the results. Normal cell phone text message billing rates apply, usually ten cents.

So, if you're seeking Sushi in Skokie, type in sushi 60076. In the example at left, I searched for a CompUSA store near Glenview, by typing CompUSA 60025.

We've used up all our electrons this month, bringing you news of free tax software, daylight savings time, cool tools and fun tips. The popular feature "Five Things You Can Do in Five Minutes" will return next month.

Helen Gallagher

Phone: 847-998-6240, www.cclarity.com

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