Dear Masked Geek,Q: I’ve had my phone for a while, and I swear that it doesn’t ring as loudly as it did when I first got it. Is there any way to fix this?

A: Well, depending on how long you’ve had your phone, it could just be that the speaker is going out on you. However, if it’s a newer phone you may be able to fix it. The first thing you’ll need to do is figure out where the speaker for the ringer is. Once you’ve done this, get a light and check if there is any crud (yes, that’s the technical term) covering the speaker.
If there is, take a toothpick and gently remove all of the crud that you can. But be careful not to damage the speaker.

Q: Can I delete my Facebook or MySpace page?

A: Actually deleting a Facebook page is rather difficult, but you can easily disable it. Getting rid of a MySpace page on the other hand is pretty easy.

Facebook:

Log in,
click on “Settings,”
then click “Deactivate,”
give Facebook a reason for deactivating your account,
then click “Deactivate My Account.”

MySpace:

Log in,
click on “Account Settings,”
then click “Cancel Account,”
MySpace will walk you through the rest of the process.

Q: I’m shopping for a new cell phone and I keep hearing about 3G networks. What is it and does it really matter?

A: 3G is the newest wireless network, but it’s really only necessary if you’re going to have a data plan. 3G is a must for Blackberrys, iPhones and any other phones that will be used for e-mail or surfing the Web. But if you’re looking for a simple, regular old phone, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

The Masked Geek needs your questions!

Without your questions, all he does is sit in the closet with his laptop playing Doom II multiplayer all day.

To be honest, it’s getting kind of depressing to see him like that – again.

So please help the Geek. E-mail your techy questions to: [email protected]

And help get him away from the pixilated nightmare that is Doom II!