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Productivity

What does it mean to use technology productively? Which apps and gadgets make your work easier? How to personalize the computers and other gadgets you’re using?

tutorial Introducing Windows 8.1: How to Share Screenshots from Any App

Introducing Windows 8.1: How to Share Screenshots from Any App

Windows 8.1 comes with a bundle of many apps, from Sports and News to Finance and Health & Fitness. Chances are you are going to stumble upon some interesting content while using these apps, and you may want to quickly share a screenshot with it. Traditionally this meant using the PrtScn key, saving the screenshot in an image editor and then using another program

How to Record Audio with the Sound Recorder App in Windows 8.1

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Windows 8.1 includes a reasonably large bundle of apps when you install it. One of these apps is Sound Recorder. This is a very interesting app that allows you to record sounds, trim their length, save them and share them with your friends. Let's take a closer look at the Sound Recorder app and see how to use it. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] How to launch the Sound Recorder App in Windows 8.1

How to Set Timers & Use the Stopwatch in Windows 8.1's Alarms App

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Aside from setting alarms, the Alarms app in Windows 8.1 also allows you to set timers and provides a stopwatch that you can use to track laps and splits. Let's see how to use the timers and the stopwatch in Windows 8.1. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] How to Set Timers in the Alarms app To set a timer in the Alarms app, first launch the app itself. If you are not sure how

What are ReadyBoost & SuperFetch? How to Use Them in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
ReadyBoost is a component of Windows operating systems, that was first available in Windows Vista. Its purpose is to help the SuperFetch service in making your system run smoother, by using a fast USB flash drive that helps reduce number of read and writes to your hard drive. If you would like to learn what SuperFetch and ReadyBoost are and how they work together, don't hesitate to read this article.

The Surface Pro 2 Review - Microsoft's Flagship Windows 8.1 Device

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
During my recent visit to the US, I purchased a Surface Pro 2 for myself. I was really curious to learn more about this device and whether it has great potential or not. Before publishing this review, I have used the Surface Pro 2 for over a month, in different environments, including when traveling or working in an office or at home. If you would like to learn more about

How to Add, Edit and Remove Alarms in Windows 8.1

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
If you are looking for an easy way to use your Windows 8.1 device to keep track of time during certain activities, the operating system offers an easy and friendly way of doing this - the Alarms app. It enables you to set alarms, timers or use a stopwatch for managing your time, waking up for work in the morning or even timing your favorite activities. In this first article

How to Share and Synchronize Content in Windows 8.1's Reading List App

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Today we're going to take a look at two important features of the Reading List app: share and sync. They might be either a deal breaker or a deal maker in using this app. Reading List allows you to share the content you add to it with your friends. It also allows you to synchronize the its content across Windows 8.1 devices, so you can add an article to Reading

Simple Questions: What is Hands-Free Mode in Windows 8.1?

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
If you have used Windows 8.1 or at least read about it, you might have encountered a feature named Hands-Free Mode. As the name implies, it is about using your Windows 8.1 device without your hands. But how does it work? Is it any good? Let's find out from this guide. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] What is Hands-Free Mode in Windows 8.1? This feature is designed for tablet or hybrid devices that have

The Complete Guide to the Weather App in Windows 8 & 8.1

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Knowing the weather is essential to planning anything from an upcoming weekend away to which route to drive to work. While many users watch the news for their weather information and others might check the Internet, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 provide a great alternative with their bundled Weather app. Once configured, this app provides extended forecasts, hourly forecasts, weather maps and even historical data. This is a very useful

How to Remove Content & Categories from Windows 8.1's Reading List App

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
In this third episode of our series about the Reading List app in Windows 8.1, I will guide you through the process of removing categories and content from this app. If you want to reorganize the way content is classified or you just want to clean up some less interesting content, this guide will be useful to you. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] If you need to refresh your memory on how to add

How to Add & Categorize Content in Windows 8.1's Reading List App

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
In this second episode of our series about the Reading List app in Windows 8.1, I would like to share how to add content to this app, how to read it and how to categorize it, so that you keep everything well organized. As you will see, this app is quite versatile and can be a great tool for storing and organizing what you want to read later. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] If

The Toshiba Encore Review - Is it a Good Windows 8.1 Tablet?

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
Until I got my hands on the Toshiba Encore, I had not used a Windows device that is made to be a tablet, except the Surface Pro 2. While testing the Toshiba Encore I have learned a lot about what it truly means to use a Windows 8.1 tablet and the strengths and weaknesses of this device. If you want to learn more about the Toshiba Encore, what it offers

What the Reading List App in Windows 8.1 is & Why You Should Use it

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Let's face it, no matter how much the Internet has improved and eased the way you get informed, it is still full of recycled, misunderstood or erroneous information. You will likely need to carefully filter through all the information you find on the web in order to read the news, blog posts or any other kind of content that is both useful for you and correctly written. Fortunately, Microsoft included

Stop Autocorrect & Keyboard Sounds While Typing on a Windows 8.1 Tablet

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Are you using a Windows 8.1 tablet like the Surface 2 or a hybrid device with a touch screen? Then, while typing, you might have noticed some issues with the way the touch keyboard works in Windows 8.1. If that's the case for you, then read this guide on how to set up the touch keyboard, so that it works the way you want to. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] Go to PC Settings

Microsoft Sculpt Comfort Mouse Review - A Good Companion for Mobile Users

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
After the launch of Windows 8, Microsoft decided to redesign its keyboard and mouse lineup, so that they are more useful when working with modern devices, including tablets and hybrids like the Microsoft Surface. One of the most interesting mice that were launched is the Sculpt Comfort which has a big blue button with the Windows logo on it. What does this button do and is this mouse a good

How to Learn the Countries Where Windows Store Apps are Available

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Even though each app in the Windows Store has its own webpage that can be found using a search engine, Microsoft doesn't offer a full web version of the Windows Store. Also, in the Windows Store app, you cannot view apps that are not available in your region. This raises an interesting issue: you can't learn the countries where an app is available. It can happen that an app that

Book Review - Windows 8.1 Step By Step, by Ciprian Rusen & Joli Ballew

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
When I reviewed the first edition of this book - Windows 8 Step By Step - I said that it was "the kind of book to keep handy by your computer for reference, because it will give you confidence that you can do everything right. It's a winner!" Other sites, including Amazon, where reviewers are notoriously cranky, have given it 5-star and 4-star ratings as well, and it's one of

How to Set AutoPlay Defaults for Media & Devices in Windows 8.1

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
In Windows 8.1 you can also set the AutoPlay settings for your media and devices, directly from PC Settings. There you have access to almost the same customization options found in the Control Panel. This tutorial shares where to find the AutoPlay settings and how to fiddle with them. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] Where to Find the AutoPlay Settings in PC Settings? Open PC Settings. Then, click or tap PC and devices. AutoPlay,

How to Set How Much Data Tiles Use in Windows 8.1

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
If you are a tablet user with Windows 8.1 and you have a poor data plan, then you will want to limit how much data is used by the operating system, including the tiles. Depending on the apps you have installed and what updates they display on their tiles, they might end up consuming a lot of data. Luckily, Windows 8.1 provides a way for you to control how much

How to Work with File History in Windows 8.1, from PC Settings

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
One of the minor but welcome changes in Windows 8.1 is that it allows users to use the File History from PC Settings. If you have a tablet or a computer with touch, you can quickly turn on this feature, select the drive where your data is backed up and perform manual backups. Here's how it works. [DC-SUMMARY-BREAK] NOTE: Before you enable File History, plug in an external hard drive
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