Make Gmail and Dropbox Easier to Use

Maybe it's because I don't like change, or maybe it's because I hate it when software developers assume that everyone can figure out their cryptic icons, but I wasn't a fan of Gmail's recent makeover.

In particular, I didn't like the switch from simple, straightforward text labels for various buttons to attractive but largely incomprehensible icons.

Here's what Gmail looks like now:

Just open up Gmail in your browser, click the little gear icon in the upper-right corner, and then click Settings.

With the General tab selected, look for the Button Labels option and click on Text. Scroll down to the bottom, click Save Changes, and you're done!

An Easier Way to Add Files to Your Dropbox Account

For a service with the word "drop" front and center in its name, Dropbox has always been notoriously, annoyingly unsupportive of dragging and dropping to its Web client.

In case you've been living under a rock, Dropbox is the cloud-based storage service that easily and automatically syncs files between PCs, portable devices, and the Web. It's insanely popular, and with good reason.

You can get a 2GB Dropbox account free of charge. If you're willing to refer friends (who in turn sign up for their own Dropbox accounts), you can score as much as 16GB of bonus free storage.

This new capability isn't what I'd call major, but it's a long-overdue and welcome addition to the service.

Just sign into your Dropbox account in your browser (Chrome, Firefox, and Safari are currently the only ones that support drag-and-drop), then drag one or more files or folders from your desktop to that window. Presto: They're uploaded instantly.

If you've got a hassle that needs solving, send it my way. I can't promise a response, but I'll definitely read every e-mail I get--and do my best to address at least some of them in the PCWorld Hassle-Free PC blog. My 411: hasslefree@pcworld.com. You can also sign up to have the Hassle-Free PC newsletter e-mailed to you each week.