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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 7 things you can do with Paint in Windows 10

7 things you can do with Paint in Windows 10

Paint is a nifty little tool that is available for free in Windows 10. Whether you want to make simple adjustments to your holiday pictures or your screen captures, Paint is surprisingly capable for a tool that made its debut in Windows in 1985. Let see how you can use Paint to edit and improve images, in Windows 10: How to work with
article 7 reasons why you should get Windows 10 October 2018 Update

7 reasons why you should get Windows 10 October 2018 Update

Windows 10 is an ever-changing operating system, and Microsoft introduces new features periodically. The latest major update for Windows 10 is called October 2018 Update, and it was launched on October 2nd. Although the new October 2018 Update does not add tons of new features to the operating system, there are a few that are exciting or at least interesting. They are reasons for

Reviewing ASUS Chromebox 3: Chrome OS is fast in a mini PC with lots of options

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
ASUS Chromebox 3 is a small form factor PC that runs on Chrome OS and offers almost everything the regular computer user might want. The ASUS Chromebox 3 comes in many hardware configurations, for each budget size. Furthermore, it also supports 4K, WiFi using the fast 802.11ac wireless standard, and USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C. To make things even better, you can install apps from the Google Play Store on

10 great things about Chrome OS, Chromebooks, and Chromeboxes

  • misc
  • Radu Tyrsina
Google has offered an alternative to traditional Windows PCs and Macs, for quite a while now. It is called Chrome OS, and it is an operating system built around the Google Chrome web browser. Chrome OS is fast, simple and easy to use. To make it even better, it works well on cheap hardware. We have not used Chrome OS devices in the past, but we recently started doing so,
tutorial How to edit screenshots and images using Snip & Sketch

How to edit screenshots and images using Snip & Sketch

Windows 10 October 2018 Update introduces a new app called Snip & Sketch, meant to replace the Snipping Tool. Snip & Sketch not only lets you take screenshots of your Windows 10 desktop but also includes a built-in image editor that you can use to edit your screenshots and other images. If you want to learn how to edit screenshots and pictures, read this
tutorial Use the Windows Task Scheduler to run apps without UAC prompts, with admin rights

Use the Windows Task Scheduler to run apps without UAC prompts, with admin rights

You may need to frequently run an app that requires administrator permissions, which always triggers a UAC (User Account Control) prompt. You do not want to click Yes or enter the administrator password every time, and you do not want to disable UAC either, because it protects your computer. This is especially annoying when using app updaters, command line tools or game launchers for

How to enable Java in all the major web browsers

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Do you need to visit websites and web services that rely on the old Java technology? Did you install Java on your computer but your browser says that Java is not present on your system? Why isn't Java working as it should and how do you make it work in your favorite web browser? These are the questions that we are going to answer in this guide. We show you

How long are millions of keystrokes and clicks, in years?

  • misc
  • Radu Tyrsina
When you look at the technical specifications for modern gaming keyboards and mice, you notice that manufacturers provide lifespan estimations like "this keyboard will last 80 million keypresses" or "this mouse will last 30 million clicks." What do these metrics mean? Can you use them to estimate how many years these products last? I wanted to answer these questions, and I have performed some experiments, using software that tracks my

Reviewing Kingston A400: SSD storage on a budget!

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
Do you need to speed up your computer or laptop, without paying much money? A great way to do that is to purchase and install an SSD drive. On Amazon, the Kingston A400 SSD is one of the most popular budget choices you can find and, if you look at the reviews, users love it. Is its popularity well deserved? How fast is this SSD drive? Read this review and
tutorial 5 ways to tell whether a Windows program is 64-bit or 32-bit

5 ways to tell whether a Windows program is 64-bit or 32-bit

Most of the Windows installations today are 64-bit, so most people use 64-bit operating systems and applications. Even popular applications like Chrome, Firefox, Office, and 7-Zip, are using the 64-bit architecture to provide better performance. All this is good but, on a 64-bit operating system, you can run both 32-bit and 64-bit apps. How can you tell whether a program is 64-bit or 32-bit?

Set how the screen behaves and when the PC goes to sleep (on battery vs. plugged in)

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
One of the great things about Windows is that it allows you to customize almost everything you want. This includes modifying the default power plans found in Windows so that they better suit your needs. That means that you can configure things like when your Windows laptop or tablet dims or turns off its screen (after a period of inactivity), when it goes to sleep after you step away from

What are power plans and how to switch between them in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Using a mobile device is handy, especially when you travel a lot, but these devices are limited by the amount of energy their batteries can provide. For this reason, paying attention to the power plan that you are using and its settings can make a huge difference in how much battery time you have available. Fortunately, Windows 10, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 provide us with the necessary tools to

Review ASUS VivoMini VC65-C1: small form factor PC with many expansion options

  • review
  • Radu Tyrsina
We had the opportunity to test one of the latest Mini PCs created by ASUS. It is called ASUS VivoMini VC65-C1, and it was launched earlier this year. In a small form factor, it promises high performance offered by 8th generation Intel processors, DDR4 RAM, multiple storage options including the possibility to add a Blu-Ray or a DVD writer unit, support for Optane memory, 4K Ultra HD video output and

9 ways to access the power plans in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
Windows operating systems have a useful feature called power plans. They are collections of settings that change the way your hardware and software uses system resources. Thus, power plans can make your PC work faster but use more energy, or they can make your PC work slower but save significant amounts of energy. If you are using a Windows device with a battery, power plans are even more important than

Microsoft Teams is now free, to better compete with Slack. Is it better than Slack free?

  • news
  • Radu Tyrsina
Microsoft Teams is a collaboration tool, similar to Slack, that offers IRC-style chat rooms for teams. With it, you can chat, share documents, or make video and voice calls. It is an excellent tool for teams of all sizes, especially for those that are not working in the same place. However, Slack had something which Microsoft Teams did not: a free version for small and mid-size businesses. In response, Microsoft

How to change your user account password in Windows 10

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
You are probably aware of the risks you are exposed to when you use the same password on all your accounts. Regardless of what type of account you use to log into Windows 10, a weak password can give access to your files to anyone who knows it or can crack it. Therefore, you may want to consider changing it. Also, if your Windows 10 account has been compromised, you

How to free up wasted space with Disk Cleanup, in Windows

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
When we want to tweak different aspects of Windows, we prefer to use the built-in tools provided by the operating system. All modern versions of Windows and especially Windows 10, provide some great tools you can use. One such tool is the underrated Disk Cleanup, which allows you to free up space on your partitions and safely remove system files that you no longer need. Let's see how it works
tutorial How to rename a Windows task created with Task Scheduler

How to rename a Windows task created with Task Scheduler

If you landed on this web page, you probably already know how to work with Task Scheduler to create scheduled tasks. Now it may be that you are asking yourself and the internet search engines about a way to rename a task that is already created and scheduled in Task Scheduler. While it may seem a trivial action to some, things are not as

11 ways to start Disk Cleanup, in Windows (all versions)

  • tutorial
  • Radu Tyrsina
If you have limited storage space on your Windows 10 PC or device, or if you gather lots of data on it, you might stumble upon issues caused by not having enough free space. In such situations, the first thing you should do is clean the storage of unnecessary files such as temporary files, thumbnails or files that you deleted but are still found in your Recycle Bin. Fortunately, to
tutorial 7 things you can do with the Disk Management tool, in Windows

7 things you can do with the Disk Management tool, in Windows

Modern versions of Windows come with a handy disk management utility that allows you to create, resize and delete drive partitions on the fly, without having to boot into a particular disk utility or purchase additional software. The Windows built-in tool we are talking about is called Disk Management, and it is quite easy to use. If you want to make some changes related
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