In addition to losing weight and quitting smoking, we suggest adding some of these computing-related goals to your list of New Year's resolutions for 2013.

The start of a new year is always a good time to reflect and make new resolutions. While most people vow to exercise more often, quit smoking, and make other self-improvements, few people actually make computer-related resolutions. So why not make 2013 the year you make the effort to improve your computer habits? We listed a few resolutions below that, if carried out, will make you and your computer happier in the new year.

Back up your data

In order to protect your important files – photos, music, videos, and work documents – it’s vital that you back up your data on a regular basis. Some great ways to back up your files include cloud storage programs like Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon Cloud Drive, and iCloud. If you’d rather have a physical copy of your files, other ways to save data include USB flash drives and external hard drives. As a general rule, you should back up your data on a weekly basis. Check out our complete guide to backing up your computer for more info.

Delete unnecessary files

If you’re like most people, you may have a whole slew of files and programs on your computer that you no longer need or want. It might take a chunk out of your day, but turn on some tunes and take the time to delete these files. Your computer will thank you for it since you’ll also have more space and a speedier PC as a result.

Organize files

Once you’ve deleted all of your unnecessary files, try sorting through the ones you have left and organizing them by year. This way, you’ll be able to find important photos and files much more quickly and easily. 

Defrag 

In order to make your computer run faster and smoother, it’s a good idea to defrag the computer. If you’re using a computer running Windows Vista or later, or Mac OS X, your computer is already defragmenting itself automatically. If you’re not using one of these operating systems, check out our guide on how to speed up your PC for tips on how to defragment your computer. 

Clean out your inbox

Email inboxes can easily become cluttered and disorganized. In addition to cleaning out files on a computer, cleaning out unnecessary emails should also be near the top of your New Year’s to-do list. If you’re using Gmail, you can easily create filters and organize emails into folders. For example, you can create a filter for anything shopping related and have those emails automatically added to your Shopping folder when they arrive. The same goes for work emails, personal emails, emails from your running group, etc.

If you want to start 2013 off on a clean slate by wiping out all of your emails but are afraid you may need them at some point down the road, check out our post on how to back up your Gmail to make sure you have a copy stored when you need it.

Consolidate and delete old email addresses

If you have multiple email addresses, it may be a good idea to combine them. If you have a Gmail account, but also a Yahoo, AOL, and Hotmail account, you can either set up Gmail’s POP Mail Fetcher feature, which will grab your emails via Post Office Protocol (POP) and add them to your other Gmail messages; or you can go into each account and forward the emails to your Gmail address. Lifehacker has a great rundown on how to do both.

That said, if you can’t even remember the last time that you logged into your Hotmail account, it may be a good idea to consider deleting this email address altogether.

Protect your computer against viruses

There’s always a chance your computer will get infected with a virus, which is why it’s important to install – and use – anti-malware software. Not only will this software protect your computer against viruses, it also protects your computer or laptop against potential hackers, spyware, and malicious phishing attempts. You should update this your antivirus software, as well as your operating system, Web browsers, and other crucial software, regularly. Don’t know where to start? Check out our guide to the best free antivirus software.

Change your bank account password

Online banking is a convenient time saver, but it also opens up your bank account to hackers. You should consider changing your banking password at least once a year. Though many banks offer two-step verification, sending you a separate email or text to verify you as the correct user, you also need to make sure your password isn’t easy to hack. Check out our guide to making yourself unhackable for some great password tips.

Make sure your wireless network is secure 

Nowadays, we often take wireless Internet for granted. However, as a New Year’s resolution, you should take the time to make sure that your wireless network is indeed secure. Why? Hackers can easily infiltrate an unsecure network and gain access to your bank account and other confidential information. Check out the password tips above, and make sure the password for your router is hard to crack. For example, don’t make it your last name and house number. Also, some outdated routers are easier to hack into, so check out our wireless routing guide for more info on buying a secure router.

Keep your computer cool

In order to help keep your computer running smoothly, it is essential to keep your computer cool. To do so, you should be sure that there is adequate ventilation around your computer. If you’re using a laptop, you can use a special stand to keep air flowing, some of which come with built-in fans. As dust can keep your computer warm, you should periodically remove dust from your computer using a vacuum cleaner and/or a can of compressed air. Before you stick the vacuum attachment into your PC, check out our guide to speeding up your computer for detailed instructions on how to safely clean your vents.

Avoid carpal tunnel syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be serious and debilitating, but there are certain measures you can implement to prevent damage to your body while using the computer. For example, always remember to support your wrists when you are using a mouse, and hold the mouse loosely in order to minimize tension in your hand. Dr. Thomas M. Marsella, MD, with the Occupational Health Services department of the Physician Foundation at California Pacific Medical Center, said in a PCWorld article that “micro breaks are the surest way to prevent repetitive strain injuries.”

Try something new

The New Year is an excellent time to jump into fresh experiences, so why not try something new on the computer?  For instance, if you’re still using Internet Explorer, why not give another browser a try like Google Chrome or Firefox? Or if you’re a Pandora user, try out Spotify. And if you’re really brave, how about checking out the new MySpace?

Spend time away from the computer

While computers are pretty awesome, it’s important to remember to step away from the glowing screen from time to time – no, taking your laptop out of the house doesn’t count. Make a resolution to get involved with a new activity, take a walk, or even read a book.

You should now be well on your way to implementing some helpful computer-related resolutions in 2013. Like more traditional New Years resolutions, sticking with these may require some effort on your part. However, by implementing at least some of these resolutions, you are making your time on the computer that much more efficient, safe, and enjoyable. Happy New Year! 

Image via jcjgphotography/Shutterstock

The Samsung Galaxy S III is widely heralded as one of the best Android smartphones on the market today, but perhaps you don’t want to deal with a locked phone on a contract. Then this unlocked version is for you.

The factory unlocked Samsung Galaxy S III is currently on sale on Amazon for $570. This is said to be 37% off the regular list price of $899.99. You get a 4.8-inch AMOLED HD display, a Snapdragon 1.5GHz dual core processor, Android 4.0 ICS, quad-band 3G, 16GB of storage, and the usual array of Samsung TouchWiz optimizations like Smart Stay, Direct Call, and S-Voice.

This is listed as the international version of the phone, so it starts up in German. Thankfully, it’s really easy to switch it to English by simply going to the language settings. And yes, it’s completely unlocked, so you can pop in whatever compatible SIM card you want.

There tends to be varying opinions about what Canonical has done in the Linux world over the last few years. Some users love the easier to use and more “pretty” design of Unity, the UI behind the popular Ubuntu OS. Others hate what Ubuntu has become with a passion.

Still, you have to at least give Canonical a little credit for turning Linux into a more mainstream OS in the last few years. While it is still certainly a niche, Ubuntu has appealed to many folks that don’t want spend the money on Apple’s premium hardware/software and are burned out when it comes to Windows.

Going forward, it seems that Ubuntu has many more changes in store. The Ubuntu homepage now prominently displays a banner that says, “So close, you can almost touch it” and is counting down to 8AM ET on Wednesday, January 2nd. More than likely, this pre-CES announcement will show what Ubuntu can bring to the table for mobile devices and even touch desktops and laptops.

For a long time, Canonical has been planning a push into mobile devices, so this isn’t all that surprising. What exactly these touch features and changes look like remain a mystery, however.

Don’t be surprised if at least a few devices at CES that utilize this touch-centric version of Ubuntu. Are you interested in the idea of a mobile/touch experience powered by Ubuntu or not?

This weekend, some more high resolution pictures of the upcoming BlackBerry Z10 model were leaked.  The BlackBerry Z10 is the new all touch screen Blackberry device, and their attempt to modernize the Blackberry brand.

The pictures were found on the Arabic blog fou6an.com, and the picture of the iPhone in the gallery below is said to have been taken with the Z10 itself.  These photos also appear to confirm the 2GB of built in RAM previously rumored for the handset.

We know just about everything there is to know about BB10 and their handsets now, though there will likely be a few surprises at the official Blackberry 10 launch event.

Are you looking forward to BB10 or not? If so, which handset are you interested in, the Z10 or X10?

If you’ve picked up a Windows Phone 8 device like the Nokia Lumia 920 and you really like how good the camera is on there, then you’ll like the CameraPro app even better.

No, this isn’t another one of those Instagram-esque filter-laden camera apps. Instead, it is a suitable replacement for the native camera app, giving you much faster access to the different settings and options that you would normally find on a standalone camera. Need to change the white balance, adjust the autofocus, turn the flash on and off, or switch to a different scene? No problem. All of these kinds of settings are available right from the shutter-ready screen.

You can even customize the layout of this via the settings menu, but make sure you save one of those slots for the “settings” button; otherwise, there’s no real way of restoring that on-screen button without re-installing the app. You can also change the resolution, the exposure time, the focus mode, the camera mode, the ISO (100-3200) and the exposure compensation (up to a +/- 12-step range). And yes, there’s even manual focus, which isn’t terribly common on smartphones. And then there are even deeper settings for timers, bracketing, burst, time-lapse and so on.

CameraPro is $2.49 through the Windows Phone Store.

The Galaxy Note 2 is popular just about everywhere it's sold, it seems. On its home soil, more than a million units have now been snapped up by consumers, making up about 20 percent of its worldwide sales.

Sales of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 2 have reportedly crossed the million threshold in its home country of South Korea. The so-called phablet has been received well by consumers everywhere, with Samsung announcing late November that it had sold five million units worldwide.

At the current rate, it shouldn’t be too long before the tech giant reaches the ten million milestone. The device first went on sale in September 2012, following the success of its predecessor which launched in the second half of 2011.

The Android-powered Galaxy Note 2 has a 5.5-inch display, 1.6GHz quad core processor, 16/32/64GB of internal storage, 8-megapixel rear camera, 1.9-megapixel front camera and comes equipped with the S-pen stylus.

Samsung told South Korea’s MK Business News that the device’s continued popularity among consumers was thanks to the wide variety of available apps as well as improved S-pen functionality.

There was talk in the middle of last month that Samsung was prepping the third iteration of the device, featuring a whopping great (“whopping great” for a phone, at least) 6.3-inch-display.

Even more recently it was suggested that a 7-inch Galaxy Note might even be in the works, though no official word has come from Samsung on the matter.

Heading into 2013, the electronics company said it’s aiming to sell a colossal 510 million handsets worldwide this year – 390 million smartphones and 120 million feature and budget phones. To achieve this, it hopes to make a bigger impact in developing nations with a wider range of attractively priced devices.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a hybrid to the Nth degree - but can it really do all things?

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is, without a doubt, one of the most inventive, innovative, next-gen pieces of hardware on the market. It hits all the right trends: It’s all about mobile. It’s all about photo-sharing. It’s all about social networking. And it’s really, really good looking. 

But with great capabilities come great expectations – and large price tags. The $500 device is an attempt at all things, one of the true hybrids of the current electronics landscape. That’s a tall order to live up to … so, can it? There’s only one way to find out, and so I’ve forsaken as many connected devices as possible in favor of the I-can-do-it-all Samsung Galaxy Camera. My mission: to find out if it really can do it all.

For taking pictures

Let’s start off with the obvious: The Galaxy Cam can take pictures. In lieu of my Canon Rebel XTI or iPhone 4S, I used the Samsung camera for most of my picture-taking needs. Since I recently reviewed the camera, there weren’t many surprises here. It’s a very decent point-and-shoot with a very engaging and interesting user interface (UI). I actually found it easier to use than most point-and-shoots because the camera’s in-screen, virtual setup made it a breeze to get find what I needed, alter settings, and start shooting.

That said, the convenience factor is missing. I can’t whip out the Galaxy Cam like I would my iPhone, nor do I instinctually take it everywhere with me. The idea is that I should be able to, but that fact that you can’t make actual phone calls with it (although, there are workarounds – we’ll get to that) means that I still need to bring my phone everywhere. So that’s two devices I have to bring with me.

As far as using the Galaxy Cam as my primary camera, it remained as entertaining as I originally found it. Picture quality falls squarely between the two devices I most often use (the previously mentioned Canon Rebel XTI and iPhone 4S), and while I could get higher quality photos or more convenient use out of my other two go-to cameras, the fact that I still thoroughly enjoyed using the Galaxy Cam despite these factors speaks to how great and user friendly it is.

For “phone calls” and texting 

As I mentioned, there’s no real way to make phone calls with the Galaxy Camera. You can make Skype calls (or other chat apps), but it’s a poor substitute and there’s one big, glaring, horrible reason for that: The person using the Galaxy Camera can’t see the video. Unlike most smartphones, there isn’t a second camera on the Galaxy Cam. You have to hold and point the camera at yourself for the duration of the call. You could set it on some surface and play the “am I still in the frame?” game with the person on the other end, of course. Basically, your options are limited and the experience isn’t great.

It’s simply impossible to use this device as a phone. You can use workarounds all day long but the fact remains that people use phones,  not chat apps, to talk.

However, if you’re anything like me, you defer to texting more than talking most of the time. There are really only a handful of people I need or want to talk to on the phone, and everyone I can deal with over SMS.

While you can’t port your phone number to the Galaxy Cam and start messaging away, there are obviously a great many texting apps that can help. Imo.im, Whatsapp, WeChat, and Facebook Messenger are just a few examples. Of course, this means you have to defer here to text your contacts … meaning they also have to install and use these apps in order to respond or initiate conversation with you. Which means I did a lot less texting and a lot more prodding of my social circle. Dear friends, please let Facebook Messenger send you push notifications so you actually respond to my damn text messages.

Which, of course, all really just means that I couldn’t depend on the Galaxy Cam for my communication needs.

The device’s touchscreen also isn’t as responsive as I’m used to on my iPhone. It’s fine, and arguably better than most touch-enabled cameras out there, but it’s not inherently built for you to text; it’s built for you to push and prod your settings and for hitting the ever-present “Share” button. Going through to enter your passwords or lengthy messages is not fun and it takes too long. Not too long for a camera, but way too long for texting. You’re not going to like it. You’re going to get your phone back out, and you’re never going to let it go. 

For productivity

The Galaxy Cam did and didn’t work when it came to the most practical purposes. Setting up my Google Calendar was as easy as installing an app, and the same goes for email access and apps like Evernote and Mint. Maybe most of the friction came from the fact that I’ve barely used Android devices before, and the way notifications and alerts work were unfamiliar. However, once I got more used to these functions, I found the system perfectly adequate.

At least, adequate for looking at. Reading emails, checking my calendar, looking through my notes … that was all fine. The Galaxy Cam’s 4.77 inch HD display means your view is super clear and easy to see in a variety of lighting settings. Beyond reviewing, things get complicated in the same way they do with texting. The camera simply isn’t built to be a PDA. Composing emails is a drag, as is instant messaging, as is trying to take notes, as is updating your calendar. Don’t plan to make this thing your personal assistant. You shan’t be pleased – or organized. 

For entertainment

The Galaxy Cam’s 4.77 inch screen with its 1260 x 720 pixel display is clear, crisp, and great for entertainment. Games, social sites, everything: It’s responsive and incredibly fun and easy to use. The large screen actually makes it better for this purpose than my iPhone, and the bulkier body is easier to hold in two hands – it feels a lot like a PSP, actually. Entertainment and photography are where the Galaxy Camera shines. 

Verdict

No, the Samsung Galaxy Camera cannot replace your smartphone. It doesn’t make calls and getting all your friends to get on board with a separate messaging app is a losing game. It needs regular texting. If those gaps in what the Galaxy Cam has to offer were filled, however, I absolutely see myself picking this thing up and using it in place of my iPhone. The all-in-one device is the dream, and this gadget is one step closer to getting us there. But… just not yet. Galaxy Camera, you’re ahead of your time.

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Samsung revealed details about two new monitors it's set to show off at CES next week. One's a touchscreen model optimized for use with Windows 8 while the other features a display that can be rotated a full 90 degrees.

Samsung has chosen to kick off 2013 with the launch of two new high-end monitors, the Series 7 SC770 Touch Monitor and the Series 7 SC750.

The former (pictured above) is the Korean tech company’s first multi-touch display optimized for Microsoft’s touch-centric Windows 8 operating system and features a 1920 x 1080 resolution. The 24-inch 16:9 display supports up to 10 points of simultaneous multi-touch allowing users to drag, rotate or select objects on the screen, while its stand offers a 60-degree tilt. It also has built-in speakers.

“Additionally, the ultra-thin bezel along with wide viewing angles provides a truly immersive viewing experience,” Samsung said in a release about the new monitor.

The 27-inch 16:9 Series 7 SC750 model (above and below) doesn’t support touch input though does have one nifty trick up its sleeve – you can rotate it 90 degrees, allowing for landscape and portrait viewing. And by that we mean the entire display can be turned 90 degrees. Of course, how often you’d be inclined to actually swing it around is another question. Like the SC770, the SC750 also has a 1920 x 1080 resolution.

Both monitors will be shown off by Samsung at CES next week before hitting the market some time in the next three months. The tech giant is yet to release details regarding price.