Never in my life did I expect Internet Explorer to be the fastest browser on my computer. But it is. I am still on vacation and have had ample opportunity to play with my laptop. As mentioned here before, I don’t love this laptop. It is running Windows 8.1 with all the updates, but I just think the hardware is too slow. By the way, Windows 8.1 with updates is much better than the original Windows 8 and is very usable.
Back to the topic at hand. I always install Chrome and Firefox on all my computers. Of course, Internet Explorer comes standard with every version of Windows. In everyday use on my Windows 8.1 laptop, IE speeds are absolutely amazing. It is definitely the fastest browser of the three. Firefox runs well but is still a bit slower than IE.
As for Chrome, it is so slow as to be unusable. In fact, it is so bad that I uninstalled it. Now, just to be clear, I am not running any scientific tests here. I am just going from site to site and watching the browsers do their stuff. I do know that Chrome works well on my Windows 7 desktop computer. I still use Firefox on that computer as my main browser. I have ignored IE on my desktop computer but I think that I might re-evaluate it when I get back to Tucson.
As for this week’s tech news, Apple has officially set Sept. 9 as the date it announces all its new products. I look forward to it but won’t be able to watch it as I will be traveling. Damn!
There are some good tips and tricks in both the computer and mobile sections of this edition. Hopefully you will find something that will interest you. So read on and enjoy. –JCR
PS: As I will be traveling on an extended road trip later this week, there will be no blogs for the next two weeks. Sorry about that…but will be back to normal soon.
Tech News and Opinions
Apple iPhone 6 event officially set for Sept. 9
Invites from the Cupertino, Calif., electronics giant give almost no hints, saying "wish we could say more." But the general consensus is that Apple will unveil its next smartphone.
Four 4K TV facts you must know
A standard 1080p TV bought in the next few years will remain perfectly viable for as long as you own it. Sure, it might not be able to play the most cutting-edge 4K content at 4K resolution, but you probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway.
Microsoft reissues flawed Windows security update
A new version of MS14-045 has been pushed to Windows Update and the Download Center. Microsoft strongly recommends that users uninstall the old version first.
Chrome's Faster, More Stable 64-Bit Builds Now Available on Windows
If you're running a 64-bit version of Windows, you can now download a 64-bit capable version of Chrome that includes better performance, security, and stability.
Microsoft's Windows 9: Much ado about little, given cloud shift
Windows 9 will be important---if only to put Windows 8 to bed---but could be the last of Microsoft's big bang OS releases if CEO Satya Nadella's cloud-centric plan works out well.
Computer Tips and Tricks
How to Create a Strong Password (and Remember It)
“Be sure to use a strong password” is advice we all constantly see online. Here’s how to create a strong password — and, more importantly, how to actually remember it.
Pixlr, a Great Online Photo Editor, Is Now Free on the Desktop
If you haven't tried out Autodesk's fabulous Pixlr, a capable photo editor in the browser, you should. It's good. And now, it's available as a free desktop program for Mac and Windows.
Ten Top Windows Tips
Here is a selection of ten of the all-time most popular Windows tips. All of these have been viewed at least 100,000 times
Five ways to improve battery life on Windows
Having battery life problems on your Windows 8.1 laptop? These tips will help you squeeze the most juice out of your battery.
The Windows Maintenance Challenge: Part 2
Can commercial, third-party maintenance software outperform Windows’ built-in, free tools? This is the conclusion of a two-part series that will help you determine which PC maintenance tools — free or paid — yield the best results on your specific system.
Mobile Computing
These are the best messaging apps on iOS
Thankfully, there are plenty of free and good alternatives to iMessage. Some are more secure, some have more features, and none of them is owned by Facebook. Let's take a look at what's available and how these very different messaging apps compare on a number of key features.
The best Android clipboard apps
The open and modular nature of Google's platform provides you with some cool third-party options. All it takes is a few apps to power up your Android clipboard so you can be more productive than ever before.
Health in iOS 8: Explained
Health is the name for a new, built-in Apple app coming with iOS 8. It serves as both a repository for all the health-related data accumulated by your iPhone, your apps, and your accessories, and a dashboard to help you make better, more visual sense of it.
Google's News & Weather App Gets A Massive 2.0 Update
The 2.0 release, years in the making, is now available for most Android 4.0+ devices.
Verizon set to launch voice-over-LTE service nationwide
The VoLTE network, which will provide high-definition voice service and a new Skype-like video chat service, will debut for consumers in the coming weeks.
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