Improve PC Speed and Security

25.05.2009
Technology was supposed to make our lives easier--so why does it seem to do the opposite? If living in a perpetual state of tech overload has you frazzled, we have some solutions for you. The enlightening tips in our "Simplify Your Life" package will show you how to travel smarter, save money on the things you need, conserve time and effort, eliminate headaches, clean up your workspace, secure your PC and your data, and manage your media. The path to the ultimate state of 21st-century Zen starts right here, right now.

As goes your PC, so goes your life. After all, your computer is the nerve center of your work and your play. These easy tips will help you clear your system of clutter, improve its performance, and keep it free from malware and other security threats. You can also protect your kids through safe search software and a time management device.

Effort: MinimalCost: Free

Admit it: You really have to get serious about organizing your PC. Let's start with your browser's download folder. For Firefox users, the is a free add-on that automatically saves downloads into user-specified folders based on file extension or on the site the file came from. To ob­­tain similar functionality for your entire Windows PC, try , a free app that I personally created to bring the same automatic file sorting to any folder. And since you're cleaning, here's one more tip: You can dramatically speed your PC's boot time by removing any unneeded startup apps.