In this issue, we’re going to explore some really cool websites that everyone can benefit from. We are going to places that you never knew existed, so let’s start out and play police detective.

Did you ever want to find out if your new neighbor has a police record? Go to Instantcheckmate.com.

Do you want to find out if your neighborhood has been robbed in the last year? Go to www.raidsonline.com/.

This displays a map of your street and tells you what type of crimes happened there on any given date you enter.

You keep getting harassing phone calls. You just found out the number but can’t find a name and address? Go to phonetracer.com and you’ll know who that weirdo is.

Dial *67 and your number, and it blocks your phone number to the receiver.

Here’s a site, Survival Station, that allows you to get 51 free tools to stay

informed and invisible on the Internet.

The services include Scandoo, so you can get protection when surfing websites with warnings about them before you open them up.

Some others that are cool help you stop people tracking you. There are many new free virus protection programs and a few on spying.

Want maps? Global, health, who is sick, piracy attack maps and wildfire maps are available.

Have fun using these tools… but don’t use them on me!

Google Wallet and the new Apple Passbook app are replacing that lump in your back pocket: your wallet.

So what does it do? It can make credit payments for you and hold bus passes, concert tickets, photos, gift cards, airplane boarding passes, movie tickets and any coupons.

Okay, last thing ready for Windows 8? Check out the YouTube video

(www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDYQmQ-phX8) before you decide to do it.

If you have the Mountain Lion for Mac, you can install it using the Parallels 8 program or with Bootcamp.

If you have Windows 7 on your PC desktop, you can upgrade to Win 8 or make a duel boot, which allows you to boot up with either one.

You can also make a virtual Win 8. What that means is your main operating system is Win 7, and after you boot up and get to your familiar desktop, you will have a Win 8 icon that will open Win 8 in a separate window like having two different Windows operating systems open at the same time.

If you have Win XP, you need to back up and save your data on an external hard drive, then install Win 8.

See you next time with more goodies!

Send your computer-related questions to mauimist8669@yahoo.com.