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Powering the internet requires energy like anything else—so just how much does the wired world suck down?

Yesterday, I got an email from my mom. She asked if there was a way to send her colleagues a bunch of links to online documents, rather than weighing down an email with attachments. I knew that Google Docs had what she was looking for. As I started to write her an explanation, I thought, "Hm, I wonder if Google has one of their handy little YouTube videos on this topic."

I don't know what I'd do without my computer. I can't do my job without the internet. I communicate with employers, friends, and family through emails, video chat and Twitter. I schedule meetings and plan deadlines. I bank. I shop. I read the news. I play games. I watch my favorite shows. Yes, I'd be rather lost without this little plastic box of circuits.

I've decided to indulge myself and get a netbook. But I have no idea where to start, and my initial stabs at research reveal that netbooks have gotten overshadowed by iPads and Android tablets. (Nothing against tablets - but I like having a keyboard.) Do you guys have any recommendations? I don't need anything super-powerful, but I do like: small size, pretty design, ability to launch multiple applications without freezing up, something on which I can write, or browse the Web. I'd like to keep...

I'm digging the idea of this flexible, gooey crumb "magnet" ($8.99 at X-treme Geek).

I love my laptop. It goes wherever I go. Unfortunately, that means that it also gets pretty grubby after a while. The screen gets dusty. The frame gets smudgy. The spaces between the keys fill up with crumbs of questionable origins. And my desktop? That thing is a dust bunny magnet.

Hey Noobs!

Via MetaFilter: There's an FTC complaint being filed against Dropbox that says that they're lying about how files are encrypted and who's got access to them. Dropbox says that your files are safe.

This article lists a bunch of tools you can use to build your own Dropbox. You might want to do this if you're really worried about privacy, or really want to learn how to do this on your own. Have you tried to do something like this before? Tell us about it!

Hey all...

Hey there, mighty noobs! Just here to let you know that as of now, I'm on a very short hiatus. I'm leaving for an extended stay in Iceland day after tomorrow, so I'll be taking a week off to settle in and un-jetlag. I'll be back in action on May 6, so until then, feel free to ask questions and chat in the forums. Take care, and happy geeking!

Private browsing is all the rage with browsers these days. Once you go into private browsing mode, you can traverse the internet without leaving a trail. Your history? Deleted. Your cookies? Destroyed. Your bookmarks and non-private history? Preserved for when you come back to the surface.

Okay, stop me if you've heard this one. You have a document that you want your co-workers' advice on. You attach said document onto a mass email. The first reply comes back with an edited version of the document. You begin to make changes, but another email comes in, with yet another edited version. Soon you're drowning in a desktop folder full of mismatched documents, all with the same name.

A few highlights:

Take a look around the next time you open up the File menu and slowly scroll through your editing options. Are your coworkers quietly cringing? Your kids running for the other room? Sounds like you need a few good keyboard shortcuts up your sleeve. Memorizing the right combos can transform you into a super speedy Windows superstar. Forget the mouse. Keyboard shortcuts are the new black.

While a lot of internet threats are rather over-hyped, there are some serious things to be cautious of when going online. Probably the biggest risk to the average internet user is malicious software. Commonly knows as "malware," this term refers to any program that exists solely to do harm. This may include damaging your computer or accessing your data without you knowing. Viruses, trojans, and spyware are all forms of malware. Now, malware can seriously mess up your system, and the idea of...

Your best friend's on Yahoo!, your daughter's on AIM, and now your co-worker wants to connect with you over Windows Live. Before you know it, your desktop is overflowing with buddy lists and message windows. Mismatched alert sounds are dinging and buzzing incessantly. Your computer has become a disorganized, stressful place to be.

The news gives us a lot to be scared about when it comes to the internet. Some threats are real, others...not so much. I'm keen to do some more articles about internet safety, but first, I'd like to know more about what worries you.

Is there something in particular that you need help with or would like to see explained? Awesome. Let's hear about it.

Do you love the internet? Me too. That's why you should learn about Net Neutrality. Though this video was made a few years ago, the basic principles have stayed the same, and Net Neutrality laws are currently on the tables of governments all over the world. Get informed and save the internet!

Many folks seem to treat their computers as a sort of mysterious alien technology that only the shamans of the IT Department can comprehend. You might have gotten it into your head that you're just not good at computers and will never understand them. On the contrary, getting a basic grasp on all the amazing stuff inside your computer doesn't require you to be a technological genius. Most people will never have a need or desire to open up their computer and poke around. But it's your machine....

Just remember, no matter how bad you think you are at computers, you're one step ahead of this little tabby.

Not just for grandmas! Anybody who's new to Google chat should check this out.

Welcome to InterNoobs! My name's Becky, and I'm looking forward to taking you through the awesomeness of the online world. Before we get started, there are a few forum rules.

Sure, you go online to email and shop and do research. But have you ever been curious about how the internet actually works? Don't worry, you don't need a degree in computer science to get a handle on how your info gets from point A to point B. Learning the basics of the internet will give you a whole new appreciation for all those emails and chat messages that seem to magically appear. Get ready, because we're about to enter the wonderful world of digital data!