shortcuts

I've waxed poetic about keyboard shortcuts (for both my computer and for Gmail) but I know some of you may have a hard time remembering the commands. If you were born with a bad memory, or just get the commands you do remember mixed up with others, there is help. Help in the form of this iMac Apple Shortcuts Sticker ($24), which lives right on your iMac's (or Cinema Display's) stand.

All the basic Mac commands are at your fingertips, so you can open Apple this, and open Apple that till your project is done. Kinda makes you want to DIY one of your own, doesn't it? You can buy printable sticker paper at your local office supply store or online, but if you're crafty, you can attempt the homemade kind.

While I've been sporting an iPhone for nearly two years, I'm willing to bet your chosen gadget of the decade could be found wrapped under many Christmas trees this year! Is there anything this phone can't do? Every time I turn around it seems I'm bringing you another iPhone tip, but I can't get enough of the awesome shortcuts and general life improvement it offers. Today's tip: double-clicking the "home" button to access the iPhone function of your choice.

When your phone is locked, the double-click controls your phone's iPod. I use this new tip to control my iPhone when it's unlocked. Under the "settings" menu, select "general" and then "home." The screen displayed allows you to control which function displays when you double-click the home button: home, search, favorites, camera, or iPod. I like to keep my phone set to bring up the camera when I double-click. That way, I'm sure to never miss a shot!

Do you have a helpful iPhone tip you'd love to share? Then head over to our community and post it to our iPhone Tips group where you can share your tips and tell us why they make your life easier. Your handy trick could be featured on GeekSugar!

Sometimes, it's necessary to check myself before I wreck myself when it comes to squinting in front of the computer. My eyes are already working Internet overtime, and maintaining my vision is essential to my job. Obviously. Now, when I need to see little details in a photo (like figuring out what kind of cell a celeb is carrying), I magnify my screen using Ctrl + Scroll. "Click and flick" if you will.

Just hold down the control button, and scroll up with your mouse, and your screen will magnify for easy viewing. It's like getting one of those remote controls with massive buttons so you can see what you're pressing. Except, you know, it's your computer screen. Man, I'm getting old.

The uber helpful Tinyurl is great for sending shortened links to friends and posting on Twitter, but it sure does take a lot of steps to complete the task. First you have to copy the link, go to Tinyurl, paste, make your link tiny, then go back over to your Twitter page (or email draft, IM, whatever) and paste the shortened link. Sounds like a lot of steps, right?

With the new Firefox extension called Social Whale, the process of shortening a URL has been reduced to two steps. Yes, two. Social Whale is free to download to Firefox, and adds a small whale icon to the bottom right of your browser for safe keeping. Once you're on a page you want to link to, all you have to do is click on the whale icon, and Social Whale automatically shortens the link and copies it to your clipboard. Then, the only thing you have to do is paste the link into your email, IM, or Twitter page. You're then free to continue your web browsing, knowing you just saved yourself like a whole 10 to 20 seconds of time. Personally, I need all the time I can get.

But Social Whale isn't just a one-trick pony. See what else it can do, when you read more