ARCHIVE FOR THE ‘HOW TO’ CATEGORY

Do you make this trading mistake of not knowing when economic releases come out? Learn what free tool can help you in just about any market. Huge Trading Mistake One

Check out the How To Trade It podcast with Casey Stubbs titled Preventing “Slippage.” EddieZ shares the need-to-know for the non-computer nerd trader. Listen to this segment or read the

Test Your Computer’s Speed Now   Hi everybody. Eddie Z here from EZ Trading Computers. Let me ask you a quick question. Is your computer fast enough to trade with?

Check out the How To Trade It podcast with Casey Stubbs titled Preventing “Slippage.” Casey and EddieZ discuss how to know if your CPU is overloaded. Listen to this segment

I am going to share with you a resource that you can use to figure out how to know when earnings are coming out for a company, what the projections

Do you belong to a trading group that discusses trading strategies? Do you have family members you’re teaching how to trade? Would it be helpful if you had a video

If you’re just now switching to Windows 10 (because of Windows 7 end-of-life), you might not yet have discovered some of its coolest features. In fact, even if you’ve been

Microsoft has announced the end of life for Windows 7 will be January 14, 2020. You probably already received one or more notifications about this change from Microsoft. If your

The online world provides great financial opportunities for traders. But it’s also a world full of scams and fraud. And new scams are being released daily. Scammers and fraudsters are

Do your eyes get tired after a long day of staring at your 4 to 8 computer screens? Does all the visual busyness make it harder for you to focus

Do the fans on your trading computer cycle on and off frequently during your trading day? If your fans start to run too often, or if the fan noise becomes

As I mentioned in a recent post, now is a good time to upgrade to Windows 10 if you haven’t already. Whether you’re upgrading to Windows 10, getting a new

If you’re like me, you sometimes like to listen to music while you’re watching the market on your trading computer. In this post, we’ll look at some of the better

Years ago, I used to discourage traders from trading on a laptop on a daily basis. They were acceptable while on the road, but just not powerful enough for everyday

On July 19, 2019, Capital One announced that unauthorized access of its systems had exposed personal information about both account applicants and card holders. If your data was among the

These days, there is an app for practically anything you want to do. Maybe even multiple apps. Problem is, sometimes we get so used to doing something a certain way

Although I spend a lot of time talking about cutting-edge computer technology, I haven’t discussed voice technology that much, except for a couple of articles about getting help with general

Although it’s not a trader’s favorite thing to do, every so often you’re going to have to take an update to Windows 10. Microsoft is always updating its software products

Keeping your trading computer secure is a frequent topic of mine, and for good reason. For traders, having your trading desktop or laptop hacked isn’t just inconvenient. It can cause

In a previous post, I highlighted 7 Chrome extensions that can make your trading day easier and more productive. But plenty of traders aren’t using the Chrome browser. So this

We can all use a little help getting through our busy trading days. Plenty of free apps are now available to do just that. Many of them are extensions to

If you’ve worked for a big company any time recently, and wanted to connect to the company’s computer system from home, you probably had to make that connection via a

Believe it or not, it has already been 5 years since Windows 10 came out (in 2015). Understandably, many traders decided to stick with tried-and-true Windows 7 for their trading

Most traders have tried incognito mode (aka private browsing) on their trading computer at some time. It sounds neat and makes you feel protected. But just how protected are you?

For years now, many of us in the trading community have relied on Dropbox to make it easy to share files. Dropbox was one of the early pioneers in file

For many traders, a mobile device is an essential business tool. Traders carry their mobile phones everywhere to stay in touch with the market. But depending on the situation, sometimes

If you’ve been a reader of this blog for any time at all, you already understand the importance of regular back-ups. In fact, if you’ve just been using a personal

If you’re a trader who loves to travel, like I do, you know how critical your laptop battery can be to the success of your trading while on the road.

If you own a computer customized for trading, you own a device designed with security and reliability in mind. You already know about the importance of anti-malware apps to keep

Mobile phones and tablets are great. However, if you’re like most traders, entering text can be considerably more challenging than typing at your trading computer. Particularly, when you are writing

Traders today totally rely on the software and data on their trading computers. Would you be able to operate your trading business if you were suddenly locked out of your

Nowadays, when trading is your business, you need the best hardware and software to support your daily activity. But you also need some key high-end services, such as a great

More than a third of all online scam attacks involve phishing emails or malicious attachments. As traders, we’re already aware of best practices for protecting our trading and financial data

If you are in the trading business, I know you already try your best to keep your business and personal information separate. However, from time to time, you might still

If you’re like most traders, you’re using social media on your trading computer and mobile devices without giving it a second thought. But today’s social media is fraught with scammers

When you’re online hours a day, especially when you’re dealing with financial trades every day, it’s super important to stay vigilant about scams. A key part of being vigilant is

In a previous article, we talked about avoiding tech support scams. If you own a computer, you’re liable to be a target of those scammers. But that’s just the tip

Most of my customers are great at trading, but not so great at knowing what to do when their trading computer has a hardware or software problem. Unfortunately, there are

Trading is all about the bottom line. And getting the best possible equipment for your trading setup has a direct affect on your bottom line. In my last post, I

Have you ever been at a friend’s house and noticed how much faster their Wi-Fi connection is than yours? If you find this happening, first make sure you are comparing

Imagine you’re working in your office, and you are about to make the trade of your life. Suddenly, the power goes off and your computer shuts down. It’s a nightmare

Like most traders, you probably spend your days and nights staring at computer monitors. It makes sense to find out if you are using the right kind of display and

If you’re like me, you probably use HDMI to connect your trading computer to your monitors. Nowadays HDMI is the most popular video connection. However, you might be curious about

Today’s traders demand extreme performance and reliability from their trading computers. When purchasing a new computer, most traders concentrate on specifications like CPU, memory, and graphics cards. However, if you

A big bottleneck for processing trading activity on a modern trading computer is the speed of the hard drive. Even with a high-speed CPU, if your hard drive is slow,

Next time you’re shopping for a trading computer, you are sure to come across the terms SSD and HDD. In this post, we’ll take a look at what these terms

As traders, we’re always concerned about the security of the information on our trading computers. If you are using Windows 10, there are a lot of security-related options in the

If you’re like me, you use your trading computer for hours every day. Maybe you even leave it on constantly. So the efficiency of your computer can have a big

As a trader, you know privacy is an important issue. But do you also know that Microsoft (via Windows 10) is a likely suspect for invading that privacy? Windows in

Traders are always dealing with financially sensitive information. So privacy and security are always key concerns in any trading business. In a previous article, I discussed the importance of Facebook

For many of us, connecting on social networks is part of the trading business. And Facebook is one of the networks traders are mostly likely to use. Facebook has been

Every so often, I survey my customers to find out their biggest concerns related to trading and trading computers. Every time, they say one of their top concerns is staying

Over the years, I’ve heard all sorts of reasons why traders hesitate to update or upgrade their slightly older trading computers. One big reason is the headache of data migration.

Windows 10 has been out long enough now that most traders are using it rather than our former favorite, Windows 7. And if you’re following this blog, you’ll know I’ve

I’ll be the first to admit that updates are no fun most of the time. Or, at least, they’re a distraction, if not a downright disruption. You might get a

As a trader, nothing destroys your productivity more than when your trading computer slows down. The symptoms can vary. The movements of your mouse might be sluggish. When you open

If you spend your whole day in front of your trading computer, you are probably living an unhealthy lifestyle. Most of us recognize that marathon gaming can be hard on

A trader’s very livelihood hinges on their trading computer staying at peak performance. Increased slippage due to a slower computer can cost you big bucks. If you’ve noticed Google Chrome

Today with cloud computing backups, if your trading computer goes down, it isn’t as disastrous as it once was. But it’s still inconvenient. Starting with a new trading computer can

When you are a trader, cleaning your keyboard is probably the last thing on your mind. However, here’s some freak-out information that may put this task on your radar. Your

When you are trading on your trading computer, you need to have every part of your system working at peak performance in order to avoid slippage and consequent loss of

I’ve noticed lately more traders are using laptops as their trading computers. And why not? It’s convenient. It’s freeing. You can easily take it on a business trip or to

A new trading computer runs like a Ferrari. But after you’ve been using it a while, programs and data start to accumulate. These accumulated files gradually degrade the performance of

Your trading computer holds your most valuable business assets. These include trading software, notes, market research, and more. So you need to protect your computer against disaster. Regular backups of

Imagine starting your trading computer and seeing a message that your files are gone and you can get them back only if you pay. That’s how ransomware conducts business. Ransomware

When you are traveling from city to city, you need a reliable trading laptop. Finding power outlets is always an inconvenience, and sometimes you just can’t plug in. Lots of

When you are working as a trader, you want a lean and mean working computer. But when you are a parent, you want something that is easy-to-use and safe. Microsoft

If you’re like me, one of your trading goals is to have an efficient and fast trading computer to make your life easier and your trades more profitable. You may

As a trader, you are dependent on your computer. Your trading computer holds all the pertinent information about your business. No matter what the operating system, you need to back

If you are a trader with an interest in cryptocurrency and you suddenly start noticing your trading computer is running slow, you should be suspicious. There is a new crime

Although traders don’t need as much graphics power as gamers, we still need above-average graphics cards to display our many trading charts. So even if you’re not a gamer, if

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for ways to save time on simple tasks and stay focused on my trading. Here are 10 Google Search Shortcuts I recently learned

I shudder every time a new Windows update comes out. Especially if it’s recently released. You’d think Microsoft was a big enough company to get it right the first time.

The more things change, the more they stay the same. About 15 years ago, one of my team members was in the convenience store business. One day she found an

I don’t know about you, but I am shopping more than ever online. One thing that drives me crazy is that I have had my credit card ‘hacked’ at least

Houses over 4,000 square feet drive me nuts. I’d rather rent houses as I travel the world than get the life sucked out of me trying to maintain more ‘stuff.’

The Thanksgiving and Christmas season puts retailers like Walmart, Target, and Macy’s in a frenzy. Many retailers must hit their holiday sales goals or they’ll miss out on 40% of

Eye strain from the computer? Smart traders understand that healthy eyes are a crucial component of successful trading. Did you know optometrists can take a picture of the inside of

Skype is an amazing tool! Many of my blog readers and customers already know about Skype. They often use it to video chat with long-distance family. However, there’s so much

The target of my devotion is clear. I love trading. And, I love trading from my home office computer most of all. The target of my hatred is clear as

Life Lesson: If you’re going to be off the grid, always carry a backup battery bank for your phone. It’s a simple thing, but it could save your life. I

“I love it when a plan comes together.” If you remember watching the TV show (or movie) The A-Team, you’ll recognize that as the catchphrase of the team’s leader, Colonel

Most guys love talking about sports cars. But talking about cars and taking an engine apart are two different things. I’d be in trouble if I had to put a

Business coaches love to say “fail big or go home!” That statement drips of motivation, but it’s not practical in the trading world. Failing big means losing $10,000, $20,000 or

When I first started helping other people improve their trading (many years ago now), the people who came to me were already experienced traders. In fact, most of my customers

To be a great trader, you must be healthy. Healthy traders are more focused and are better decision makers. And to be healthy, you must have healthy habits. Here’s the

For years, I have insisted traders use a wired connection. An Ethernet cable plugged directly into a modem or router is the best, most secure connection for trading. Don’t trade

Some of us traders spend 8 to 10 hours a day at our computer. Believe me when I say I want to decrease time at my computer, not increase it.

  As I was searching through my book shelves this week, I stumbled on a classic: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I love learning about how to be

There are some computer systems you just never want to lose. Take NASA’s systems for example. You just don’t want to lose connection to your astronauts. Traders aren’t usually in

Nothing beats trading from the beach for 3 hours when you’re on vacation. A computer, internet access, and a trading account: that’s all it takes to be a trader these

Selling computers and consumer electronics can attract some interesting characters. I own and operate an online e-commerce business selling computers (EZ Trading Computers), so I’ve been exposed to the many

I’ve been trading for nearly 30 years. I can remember a time when good trading tools were few and far between. In the old days, stockbrokers used Quotron and Bloomberg

I’ve taken thousands of calls from traders about computers. A lot of those callers ask the same questions about what should be “under the hood” in a good trading computer.

It’s not your imagination if you think we are fast approaching the world of George Orwell’s 1984. Just to be safe, today we’re going to talk about how to put

There’s a big difference between busy work and meaningful work. While it feels good to complete tasks and conquer the day, just checking off busy-work items has a way of

Baskin-Robbins is famous for their 31 flavors of ice cream. Ben and Jerry’s has 60 of their own flavors. You know what!? It’s still all ice cream. The same is

I’m wouldn’t call myself a conspiracy theorist, but some of the changes in Windows 10 make me want to line my room with tin foil and go read my disaster

Ten minutes passed. I was still waiting, but nothing arrived in my Gmail inbox. My day got busy, and I forgot all about that urgent email. At 4:00 pm it dawned

I’ve been a trader for 30 years. I’ve watched as trading technology has changed by leaps and bounds. Remember getting stock quotes with Quotron? I do. I used it as

In an earlier post, I showed you how to use Favorites in File Explorer to quickly find files. (‘Favorites’ are now called ‘Quick access’ in Windows 10, but they work

If you used to be a Windows 8 user, like me, you probably hated that “swipe in from the right” thing you had to do to change settings and run

If you’re like most traders, you like to keep your information close to the vest. And you studiously avoid anything that smacks of big brother. So you probably already have

If you’re a trader like me, you know that trading, more than almost any other career, demands complete focus for many hours a day. And to really be successful, you

Most computer users nowadays realize the importance of backing up their data. Just about everybody has had a hard drive failure, or at least knows someone who went through that

If you’re like most traders, you spend a lot of your time thinking about how to improve your trading results and, ultimately, your life. You’re dreaming up new strategies, thinking

We talk a lot here at EZ Trading Computers about making sure your computer system is as fast as possible. But what about your own personal speed—the speed of your

If you’ve ever been organized in any aspect of your life, you’ve probably used a cheatsheet or checklist. Cheatsheets are available for tasks ranging from military operations to baby sitting.

In today’s post, I’ll show you the top 7 fears of traders. Then I’ll show you how to break the grip of these fears in order to become a more

Last spring, I wrote a post on spring cleaning your computer. That article was all about getting rid of unnecessary files and defragmenting your hard drive. It’s obvious that keeping

Remember back when you only had one monitor? Remember how frustrating it was to have a bunch of windows all jumbled on top of each other so you had to

If you’ve been creating new files on your computer for any time at all, chances are the folder you need to pull files from and save new files to while

Have you been getting the super-annoying Windows 10 pop-up over and over again? Well, we have, too.  But now we have a simple solution to get rid of it forever!

Have you ever sent an email or a text with a horribly misspelled word? Or worse, your phone’s autocorrect created an embarrassing situation for you–a text sent with a completely

As a fellow trader, you, like myself, might have a tendency to deep-dive focus on whatever is in front of you at the moment. This can be equally good and

I recently read an interesting article about protecting yourself from loss in the event of a flash market crash. There were a few solid points in the article – including

When I log on to my trading computer, it’s always with the objective to make money – either in my daily trading or in my businesses. If you are like

I got a text from my buddy the other day. He had a question about his computer and thought I could help. It’s unusual for him to reach out about

As traders, we spend the majority of our time in front of computer screens. While this might not effect some traders, most of us feel the pain of needing to

At EZ Trading Computers, we tell you all the time to backup your trading computer data (Most often I say it more like this – backup, backup, backup – to

I love the word customize. It implies that all of your preferences are met. I don’t believe in the one-size-fits-all, off the shelf mentality. Customization, custom trading computers – yup,

If you’re like me your computer desktop might look like this: three open windows from Microsoft Word, Tradestation, a web browser displaying Investors.com, the Economic Calendar on Yahoo, Microsoft Excel, Skype…the

At the start of the business day, you are trying to log into your account at Investors Business Daily – same browser and credentials as always. Yet, you are getting an

Although there are millions of websites on the Internet, as a trader you probably only use a dozen (maybe even less) per day. These websites are your go-to sites. If

Have you recently visited a website only to see some of the content was blocked? Even if you were on Amazon.com or Ebay.com you may have received a message about

Addressing risk up front, before something happens,  is simple. Addressing risk in motion, during or after an adverse event,  is messy & complicated. Our mantra at EZ Trading Computers is

Have you ever had your computer get sluggish? You’re not alone. We all have. There’s really nothing worse than looking at an hour glass on your monitor while you wait

Imagine this scenario: You spent hours creating the ultimate profit/loss spreadsheet for trading last August. You’re super proud of it. There’s great promise of saving time analyzing your trades each

We’re all digital hoarders, aren’t we? We have more photos on our computers than we could ever print. If you’re anything like me you have at least 10 years worth

Have you ever been late for an appointment only to discover you can’t find your car keys? Panic sets in. Soon you’re frantically running around the house. You ask your