Platforms

What you need to do to make that old laptop last longer

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 14:32:04 -0500

It's the start of a new year, which means it's time to kick-start those resolutions, whether that be to exercise more or get organized. You may want to add taking better care of that old laptop to your list of 2022 goals, too. Unless you're planning on splurging for a shiny, new laptop some time soon, it's likely...

5 Windows display tricks to help you focus

Fri, 19 Jul 2019 01:00:00 -0400

When you’re trying to focus on a specific task, the right display settings can make a big difference. Dimming or disabling secondary monitors, cutting down on harsh screen lighting, or even eliminating color altogether can help draw your eyes to the job at hand and reduce eyestrain.

With the right tools...

Windows 10 Gets Rid Of Passwords, Starting Now

davey@happygeek.com — Tue, 16 Jul 2019 04:00:00 -0400

It is finally official: Windows 10 is getting rid of passwords. What's more, the move to a passwordless experience has already begun. Starting this week, Microsoft is rolling out a preview build (20H1 Build 18936 to be precise) of Windows 10 to members of the Windows Insider fast track ring that brings passwordless account sign-in right now.

I have previously reported...

How to delay the Windows 10 May 2019 Update without losing quality updates

Fri, 24 May 2019 04:00:00 -0400

As part of the Windows as a Service (WaaS) update model, Microsoft is now rolling out the Windows 10 May 2019 Update (version 1903), which means compatible devices around the world will soon start receiving new features and improvements.

Similar to previous versions...

Microsoft surrenders in its Windows Update war with users

preston@gralla.com — Fri, 10 May 2019 03:00:00 -0400

Most businesses know that a war with the people who buy and use their products is a war they can’t win. Microsoft has belatedly recognized this with regard to its Windows Update policies. And...

Windows 10: Microsoft is bringing back one of Windows 95’s most popular features

Fri, 10 May 2019 02:00:00 -0400

Microsoft is rebooting and open sourcing PowerToys, the Windows 95 utilities that brought power users the popular Tweak UI, which allowed users to...

Top Resource: 8 questions every IT leader should ask when choosing a collaboration platform

Fri, 10 May 2019 00:00:00 -0400

How to choose the right collaboration platform.

Cisco warns of two security patches that don’t work, issues 17 new ones for IOS flaws

michael_cooney@idg.com — Fri, 12 Apr 2019 00:00:00 -0400

Cisco has dropped 17 Security advisories describing 19 vulnerabilities in the software that runs most of its routers and switches, IOS and IOS/XE.

The company also announced that...

Windows 10 Redstone: A guide to the Insider Preview builds

preston@gralla.com — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0400

Microsoft never sleeps. Even before the Windows 10 October 2018 Update (version 1809) started to roll out, the company began work on the next major update to Windows 10, due to be released next spring. As it did with the October 2018 Update, Microsoft has been releasing a series of public preview builds to members of Microsoft's Windows Insider Program.

After years of...

Don’t waste your money on Office 2019 (says Microsoft)

Fri, 15 Feb 2019 04:00:00 -0500

We’ve all had a chuckle at the expense of Microsoft Office, with the ’90s debuts of Bob and Clippy being particularly hilarious (at least in hindsight). But now it is Microsoft itself that is making fun of Office 2019, the latest version of its iconic office suite. Although Office 2019 was just released this past September, Microsoft is urging you to replace it — and your older versions of Office — with Office 365.

And...

These Old Apple Ads Show How Similar - And Different - The Company And Its Products Were Back In The Day

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 08:00:00 -0500

I recently stumbled on an old Apple ad from 1993 that advertised Macs as a more affordable computer option. That's clearly not the case anymore, as Apple computers tend to be more expensive than its competition these days. Curious to find out how else Apple as a company and its products differed from the Apple of today, I found...

Windows 10: The Best Tricks, Tips, And Tweaks

Tue, 27 Nov 2018 08:00:00 -0500

Windows 10's constantly evolving nature means fresh features arrive twice per year, and with all the new goodies come a legion of new tweaks and tricks - some of which unlock powerful functionality hidden to everyday users. Others simply let you mold the Windows 10 experience into the shape you see fit. Here are some of the most useful tweaks, tricks, and tips we've found...

Apple 'Security Loophole' Exposes Business Wi-Fi Passwords To Hackers

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 12:23:00 -0400

Apple appeals to business, in part, because of its impressive track record on iPhone and Mac security. Just last week, Forbes revealed the Democratic National Committee (DNC) was ditching Android in favor of iOS amidst concerns about hacking attempts in the run up to the midterm elections. But Apple isn't perfect...

10 Classic But Essential ... Utilities For Windows 10

Fri, 31 Aug 2018 12:31:02 -0400

Let's talk about Windows 10 utilities. Sound dull? Far from it. Many of these programs have been around through several versions of Windows. They've become popular by providing features not included with the OS, doing something better than a built-in tool or optimizing overall performance...

How To Speak Linux

Thu, 31 May 2018 11:06:52 -0400

I didn't even stop to imagine that people pronounced Linux commands differently until many years ago when I heard a co-worker use the word "vie" (as in "The teams will vie for the title") for what I'd always pronounced "vee I." It was a moment I'll never forget. Our homogenous and somewhat rebellious community of...

Windows 10 Cheat Sheet

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 07:42:00 -0500

Windows 10 is the best operating system that's come along from Microsoft in a long time. It's a shape-shifter that changes its interface depending upon whether you're using a traditional computer or a touch-based one. It undoes the damage wrought by Windows 8, including...

Top Web Browsers 2018: Microsoft's IE And Edge Shed Share As Chrome Gains

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 10:26:21 -0500

Browsers built by Microsoft and Mozilla jettisoned some of their precious user share in January, while Google's broke out of a months-long malaise by grabbing what its rivals lost, and then some. According to California-based analytics vendor Net Applications...

10 Ways We'll Move Beyond The Keyboard

Mon, 20 Nov 2017 08:58:12 -0500

Speech recognition, gesture control and brain-computer interface systems are changing how we talk to our machines. Oh, and don't forget about those digital tattoos...

iOS 11 Uptake Leaves iOS 10 - And Android 8 - In The Dust

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:49:32 -0400

Apple released iOS 11 on Sept. 19 and within a week the latest version of iOS was already powering 30.21% iDevices. That's still left it far behind the 63.47% running iOS 10. But...

Windows 10 Quick Tips: 7 Ways To Speed Up Your PC

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 10:47:08 -0400

Want Windows 10 to run faster? We've got help. Take a few minutes to try out these tips, and your machine will be zippier and less prone to performance and system issues...

23 Tips For The Care And Feeding Of Windows 10

Fri, 01 Sep 2017 08:00:47 -0400

Love Windows 10? Hate it? Either way, it can't hurt to know it better. From the obvious to the insane - with lots of useful tips in between - here are 23 insights into Microsoft's ultimate version of Windows... [Slideshow]

There's A Huge New Update Coming To Windows 10 On October 17th

Fri, 01 Sep 2017 07:35:43 -0400

On October 17th, Microsoft will release the fourth free upgrade to Windows 10 - the Fall Creators Update. The news was announced at the IFA conference in Berlin on Friday. The name is a seasonal play on the Creators Update, a similar expansion that came out in April. Like its predecessor, the Fall Creators Update brings few large changes to the 500 million Windows 10 PCs out there, but lots of smaller new improvements and updates. Headlining the package is...

WPP Cyberattack Serves As A Wake-Up Call To Agencies And CMOs Alike

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 11:55:53 -0400

More than 24 hours after news broke that a ransomware attack had effectively disabled the world's largest advertising company, WPP has yet to fully recover. Several hours ago, the company issued a statement acknowledging that the incident is ongoing. According to multiple WPP employees who spoke to Adweek, staff at various offices left work early yesterday due to an inability to access their networks. And while Macs were unaffected,...

'Petya' Ransomware Hits At Least 65 Countries; Microsoft Traces It To Tax Software

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 10:59:37 -0400

The "Petya" cyberattack that has now struck computers in at least 65 countries can be traced to a Ukrainian company's tax accounting software, Microsoft says. "We saw the first infections in Ukraine - more than 12,500 machines encountered the threat," Microsoft says. "We then observed...

18 Things You Should Know About Using Linux Tools In Windows 10

Thu, 11 May 2017 11:57:56 -0400

Last year Microsoft added an unusual new feature to Windows 10: Linux support. The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) - sometimes called Bash on Windows - is...

Why Microsoft bought LinkedIn for $26 billion, in one word: Cortana

Tue, 14 Jun 2016 10:18:32 -0400

The image above says it all: Microsoft spent $26.1 billion to ensure that you'll never walk into a meeting "cold" again. Picture a typical business trip: meetings all day, drinks at night. A good salesperson knows his or her contacts before he or she steps foot in the door. But...

10 Fastest-Growing Tech Skills

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 11:09:33 -0400

It's a great time to add new IT skills to your arsenal. To help you focus your attention in the right places, here are 10 in-demand tech skills that IT pros should master, according to research from Dice.com...

How The Smartphone Is Being Reinvented (In 7 Cases)

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 10:31:20 -0400

A popular gadget blogger proclaimed last week that "phone design has plateaued," that we have "reached peak smartphone" and that smartphones are pretty much as good as they're going to get. She has a point. And yet move forward we must. Smartphone users crave new features, and I believe...

What We Know About Apple's Next Tablet

Mon, 14 Mar 2016 11:58:44 -0400

Apple has officially announced its long-rumored event for March 21. And it's widely expected that we'll see two new products unveiled there: a 4-inch iPhone (supposedly called the iPhone SE) and a new 9.7-inch iPad. Whether that new tablet is dubbed the iPad Air 3 or the "iPad Pro (9.7-inch)" -- or something else -- is anybody's guess, however...

Why The Best Technology Isn't Always The Winner

Tue, 09 Feb 2016 10:19:54 -0500

Anyone who has watched the evolution of technology knows that sometimes, clever new technologies emerge and quickly supplant the incumbents, while others may take years or decades to take off - if they gain widespread traction at all. So for investors, consumers and businesses, the key question is:...