Q: Is it possible to use a wireless Internet connection on a plane?
A: Yes, if you happen to be flying on an airline that offers the service. International carriers such as Korean Air, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines already have wireless broadband service on many routes; fees for using it vary. Check with your airline to see if it offers in-flight Internet.
Boeing’s Connexion system, which uses satellites to provide Internet access, is used by many European and Asian airlines to let passengers surf the Web and exchange e-mail on wireless laptops and devices. Some airlines are also experimenting with ground-based towers to transmit the network signal.
Last year, United Airlines was the first U.S. carrier to announce it had Federal Aviation Administration approval to install wireless networking equipment on its planes. It plans to offer onboard Wi-Fi service through Verizon Airfone, if Verizon can obtain the needed frequencies for a ground-based system in a Federal Communications Commission auction.
Q: What is the Normal.dot file in Microsoft Word?
A: Microsoft Word uses two basic file types. One is the document format (.doc), the default file type for the regular word- processing files you create with the program. The second format is for document templates, and it uses the .dot extension.
The Normal.dot file is the global template Word uses as a basis for most new documents you create with the program. The first time you use Word, the program creates its own Normal.dot file with default settings for margins, fonts and other document properties.
You can change the settings of the Normal template if you don’t like the default look for your documents, but changes made to this global template affect other documents based on it. (If you get a message about saving a change to the Normal.dot file, and didn’t intend to make one, don’t click the OK button.)
You can create customized templates in Word for the occasions when you want certain types of documents, such as letterheads or cover sheets, to use settings other than your default ones. Once you have designed or modified a new document, go to the File menu, choose Save As and select Document Template as the format. Later, when you create a new document based on that customized template, all of your modifications will already be in place.
Q: The CD drive on my laptop has been broken for almost a year. Is it possible to replace the drive myself, or do I need to go to a service center?
A: There are plenty of websites around that can help you find the right parts, as well as any other hardware you may need to make sure the new drive fits properly. Two such sites are PC Hub (pchub.com) and the Spare Parts Warehouse (sparepartswarehouse.com).
How simple it is to swap in the new drive, however, can depend on the laptop’s design and where the drive is inside the machine. Check your computer’s manual or manufacturer’s website.