19 ways Windows Vista can make you smarter

If the last crop of exam results are anything to go by, the younger generation are getting smarter each year. Whilst this is good for the state of the world once this upcoming crop of whizz-kids inherits it, those who are a little older might feel left behind in this intellectual revolution.

To bring a little balance back into the world, you can turn to your computer and Windows Vista to help you sharpen up your memory and improve your IQ. Here's nineteen ways how to do it.

1. Be a speed reader

There are lots of ways to speed up your reading capabilities. Free site Spreeder uses a technique called ‘chunking’ to display the content of a document to you one or more words at a time. Paste in some text, press play and away it goes. You can change the reading speed and number of words displayed using a settings menu.

2. Altered states

Some scientists believe that you can artificially induce brain states by playing sounds that resonate within a specific frequency through headphones. Enter I-Doser – software that claims to enhance or change brain states as effectively as certain prescription (and some non-prescription) drugs. Just in case you’re sceptical, the application is bundled with two free doses to get you started. The first, Content, will give you a feeling of wellbeing, while Alcohol is for that two-cans-of-lager-in-the-middle-of-the afternoon effect. And if you enjoy these, a mind-expanding selection of additional doses can be bought online.

3. Declutter your disk

Work better, smarter and faster with an uncluttered PC.

a. Getting started. Go to All Programs > Accessories > System Tools. Open Disk Cleanup, choosing My Files Only or Files from all users on this computer. Pick the drive you want to clean and click OK.

b. Read the report. The drive is analysed and a report generated telling you how much space you can save. In the Disk Cleanup dialogue that comes next, you’ll see a list of files you can safely delete.

c. Clean sweep. Click OK to start Disk Cleanup. The application compresses your files then deletes those you selected (note: deleting your Hibernation file disables hibernation). Click the More Options tab.

d. Program purge. Click Cleanup in the Programs and Features section to open the Uninstall or change program section of the Control Panel and rid your PC of programs you don’t want.

4. Write yourself smarter

The simple act of writing helps to keep your brain in tip-top shape, whether you’re keeping an online journal at Windows Live Spaces or staying in touch with friends by email. To make the most of your writing, keep a thesaurus close to hand. Microsoft Word has one built in, accessible from the Tools menu. You’ll find a free online option at thesaurus – handy for looking up word alternatives at a moment’s notice. The Free Dictionary provides a similar service, with a Word of the Day mailing list available to increase your vocabulary even further.

5. Contribute to Wikipedia

Researching a subject area in sufficient depth is a guaranteed way to expand your grey matter. Why not add your knowledge to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia anyone can contribute to? You can even sign up to edit other people’s contributions. The four-step tutorial Introduction will get you started.

6. Listen to Mozart

According to a study conducted at the University of California in 1993, listening to Mozart can improve your ability to perform complex tasks. Launch Windows Media Player, go to Media Guide and choose Radio Tuner. A search for ‘Mozart’ produces a list of free classical radio stations that you can listen to while you work or play.

7. Block out distractions

Unwanted noise makes it hard to concentrate. ChatterBlocker  replaces the distracting hubbub around you with gentle sounds from nature and tinkling ambient music. It comes with a dozen presets ready to go, but you can mix and make your own chatterblocking soundtracks, too.

8. Watch a movie

You don’t need a scholarly study to tell you that taking a break and doing something you enjoy will help you to relax. So, using Windows Media Center (or Windows Media Player) to watch an escapist DVD or a spot of last night’s telly will help you clear your mind for an hour or so, making you ready once again to tackle that tax return, essay or report.

9. Improve your memory

“One is a gun, two is a shoe, three is a tree...” No, I haven’t lost my marbles – this is a mnemonic system. Every number from one to 10 has a rhyming object of your choice paired with it. To remember a list of objects you simply visualise a scene featuring the thing you need to remember along with its mnemonic substitute.

For instance, let’s say you want to remember a shopping list that has beans, bread and sausages on it. To remember item one, you might visualise shooting a tin of beans with a gun. To recall the second item, imagine a pair of shoes made from crusty loaves. The more outlandish the image is, the better.

You can improve this system further using Windows Vista by creating a new folder in your Pictures directory called ‘Mnemonics’. Fill this folder with images that correspond to your system. You can use an image search, saving photos by rightclicking on them and selecting Save picture as. Open Photogallery and navigate to the folder Mnemonics.

You can now tag each image with its name and number. Use this to help you learn the system and improve your visualisation of each mnemonic substitute.

10. Train your brain

Your brain needs exercise just like your body. Maths and word games keep it in trim. Try Web Sudoku for a quick fix, or download Pure Sudoku for free from Very Free Sudoku. Scrabble’s the classic word game, and you can play online version Scrabble Blast, alongside a large selection of other puzzlers.

11. Get creative

Interface design pioneer Douglas Englebart devoted much of his career to the study of intellectual augmentation. He saw the computer as an extension of the self – a tool for amplifying our natural skills. In that sense, almost everything we do with our computers makes us smarter.

For example, a word processor, or even a simple text editor, gives us an ability to organise and manipulate our thoughts in text that pen and paper just can’t touch. Similarly photo processing tools such as Adobe Photoshop CS3 and drawing applications such as the forthcoming Microsoft Expression Design unleash artistic skills even in people who struggle with real-life pencil and paint. And with music sequencing software such as FL Studio 7, you don’t have to know how to read music or even play an instrument and make your own chart-topping tunes.

12. Learn a language

Learn to speak French or Italian and you’ll actively create new pathways between brain cells. Rosetta Stone produces language-learning software, with courses starting at £139 for 200 hours of interactive material. Not sure which language you want to learn yet? Visit the BBC languages site and take your first steps online.

13. Empty your head

Run too many programs on your PC at once and it slows down. The same thing happens when you try to carry too much in your head – so create a ‘to do’ list and tackle things one at a time. Windows Live Hotmail comes with a task manager in the Calendar section that will do the job nicely.

14. Play poker

Your memory, mathematical ability and people-reading skills all get a great workout at the poker table. If you have Windows Vista Ultimate, you can practise your Texas Hold ’Em chops against your computer – but nothing beats playing with real punters. Absolute Poker has popular tables with Windows Vista certified software.

15. It’s good to talk

When you have a problem to solve, talking it through with a friend can help you to understand things better. With Windows Live Messenger, you’ll be able to chat with friends online in a variety of ways. You can pass instant messages to a fellow computer user. They don’t have to be signed up for Hotmail or have a Windows Live ID, either, as the service supports Yahoo! Messenger users.

If you have a mic and headphones connected, you can make free PC to PC voice calls over Messenger, by clicking the Call button. You can even call a friend’s phone from Windows Live Messenger using Windows Live Call. You’ll need to sign up for the service through Verizon first and deposit some money for calls. It costs a fraction of a penny per minute to call UK landlines.

16. Read a book

Founded back in 1971, Project Gutenberg has been publishing the full text of public domain books since the dawn of the net. Now it offers access to over 100,000 free books available in formats you can read on your computer. Catch up on your Dickens, Vonnegut and Kafka, or just search for silly jokes.

17. Do your research

Researching any topic helps expand your horizons. The internet has a glut of search engines and directories, but a great place to start when looking for scholarly information is the Librarians Internet Index. This littleknown resource brings together handpicked, trusted sites and individual articles.

18. Learn to fly

A true flight simulator is much more than a game, and Microsoft Flight Simulator X is way ahead of the pack. Learn to fly an Airbus A321 passenger jet or start more gently with the single prop Cessna 172 Skyhawk SP. Even better, a fully functional trial version is available.

19. Textual adventures

Whether you prefer the term ‘interactive fiction’ or ‘text adventure’, these are worlds made with worlds, filled with puzzles to work out and virtual places to explore. Expand your spatial awareness and test your problem-solving skills at Text Adventures, an archive of games that run on the free Quest engine.